"Why, then, did the boat stop?"
"To make trouble, Mam'selle, for honest people."
With this the unseen man departed, grumbling. He had either not seen Norval or had decided not to court further trouble.
Norval laughed. The sound brought a young girl into evidence. She was a tall, slight thing, so fair that she seemed luminous in the dim shadow caused by the hill which rose sharply behind her.
"Well!" she said, coming close to Norval. "Well! How did you get here?"
"The River Queen left me," Norval explained, "probably instead of the box you expected."
"Why?" asked the girl.
"Heaven knows! I rather insisted, to be sure, but I don't know why. I wonder if any one could give me a bed for the night? Do you know?"
"Perhaps Mam'selle Morey could. All her life she's been getting ready for a boarder."
Norval started.