Temple, with averted face, asked me whether I meant to return to Riversley that day. I assured him I would, on my honour, if possible; and of course he also would have to return there. 'Why, you've an appointment with Janet Ilchester,' said I, 'and we may find a pug; we'll buy the hunting-knife and the skates. And she shall know you saved an old woman's life.'
'No, don't talk about that,' Temple entreated me, biting his lip.
'Richie, we're going fast through the water. It reminds me of breakfast.
I should guess the hour to be nine A.M.'
My watch was unable to assist us; the hands pointed to half-past four, and were fixed. We ran up on deck. Looking over the stern of the vessel, across a line of rippling eddying red gold, we saw the sun low upon cushions of beautiful cloud; no trace of fog anywhere; blue sky overhead, and a mild breeze blowing.
'Sunrise,' I said.
Temple answered, 'Yes,' most uncertainly.
We looked round. A steam-tug was towing our ship out toward banks of red-reflecting cloud, and a smell of sea air.
'Why, that's the East there!' cried Temple. We faced about to the sun, and behold, he was actually sinking!
'Nonsense!' we exclaimed in a breath. From seaward to this stupefying sunset we stood staring. The river stretched to broad lengths; gulls were on the grey water, knots of seaweed, and the sea-foam curled in advance of us.
'By jingo!' Temple spoke out, musing, 'here's a whole day struck out of our existence.'
'It can't be!' said I, for that any sensible being could be tricked of a piece of his life in that manner I thought a preposterous notion.