"Oh, I would have been all right—although, to be sure, my boat was wrecked."
"Why, what would you have done?" asked Marion, in astonishment.
"I would have swam to shore, or else crawled on the rocks and signaled Old Ben to come out after me," answered St. John.
He never thought to thank Jack, and this made Marion very indignant.
"Jack did a great deal for you, St. John," she exclaimed. "And he won the race, too," she added, and would say no more.
Without loss of time Jack rowed the boat back to the landing and St. John leaped out. He wished to assist his cousin, but she gave her hand to Jack. Then the three walked toward the plantation in almost utter silence.
DR. MACKEY TELLS HIS STORY.
Left to herself, Mrs. Ruthven grew restless and began to walk around the garden, examining the flower beds and the shrubbery.
She did not like what St. John had had to say concerning Marion. While she did not exactly fear the young man, yet she had heard several reports which were not to his credit.