"No. Of course not," I rejoined.
"O, then," he returned, in a tone of relief, "how could I? You were my captain: how could I give in so long as you were holding on?"
I am afraid the Percivale, without the Mister, came again and again after this, though I pulled myself up for it as often as I caught myself.
"Now, papa!" said Connie from the grass.
"Not yet, my dear. Wait till your mamma and Wynnie come. Let us go and meet them, Mr. Percivale."
"O yes, do, papa. Leave me alone here without knowing where I am or what kind of a place I am in. I should like to know how it feels. I have never been alone in all my life."
"Very well, my dear," I said; and Percivale and I left her alone in the ruins.
We found Ethelwyn toiling up with Wynnie helping her all she could.
"Dear Harry," she said, "how could you think of bringing Connie up such an awful place? I wonder you dared to do it."
"It's done you see, wife," I answered, "thanks to Mr. Percivale, who has nearly torn the breath out of me. But now we must get you up, and you will say that to see Connie's delight, not to mention your own, is quite wages for the labour."