“I couldn’t leave him. He sent me up to ask how soon we shall be across.”
“Well?”
“The skipper says at noon to-morrow.”
“Not till then?” said Saint Simon.
“No.”
“Well, I’m glad of it. Serve him right. It will finish this wild-goose chase and send him back quite satisfied, ready to settle down again.”
“I hope so,” said Denis. “How wet you are!”
“Yes, I don’t mind now,” said Saint Simon. “It was very horrible at first, but I can’t get any wetter, and that’s some comfort after all.”
“I’d stop and keep guard myself so that you could go into shelter,” said Denis; “but I must go down again to tell him what I have learned. But why couldn’t you go?”
“Because he sent you, and he’d be furious perhaps. There, go and tell him.”