“Not quite!”
Julia started round with a cry of joy, and placed her hands in those of the speaker.
“Mr Bayle?” she cried excitedly; “what a surprise!”
“You here?” cried Mrs Hallam hoarsely.
“Yes,” was the reply, given in the calmest, most matter-of-fact, half-laughing way, and as if it were merely a question of crossing a county at home. “Why, you two poor unprotected women, you did not think I meant to let you take this long voyage alone!”
Mrs Hallam drew a long breath and turned pale. She essayed to speak, but no words would come, and at last with a spasm seeming to contract her brow, she turned to gaze appealingly at her child.
“But you are going back?” said Julia, and she, too, seemed deeply moved.
He shook his head, and smiled.
“How good—how noble!” she began.
“Ah! tut! tut! little pupil; what nonsense!” cried Bayle merrily. “Why, here is Sir Gordon, who has done precisely the same thing.” And the old baronet came slowly up, raising his straw hat just as Thisbe came hurriedly on deck to announce the discovery she had made, and found that she was too late.