“I can only be in disgrace,” said Jane; “and I don’t mind if I get my money. In any case, I shan’t bathe; I am going to walk about very slowly along the beach, and will wait for you near the yacht. If any of the sailors see me, they will take me on board, and I can wait for you there. I shall be much too miserable to look on. Don’t let Ralph go far into the sea—just a wee, wee bit out of his depth: then catch him very quickly; only be sure you let Robina and the other girls see you do it. Things will be all right for us both now, won’t they?”
“Yes,” said Harriet, in an excited tone. She too felt that her chance had come. Her conscience was dulled to sleep. Not for worlds would she awaken it.
Jane immediately began to walk back to Totland Bay, and Harriet turned to the other girls who had come up now to join her.
“When,”—said Ralph, who was softly jumping up and down and holding Vivian’s hand—“when is we all going into the nice, cool, lovely blue water?”
“But where can Mr Durrant be?” said Robina.
“He said that he would come with us because the current would certainly be a little strong to-day. Perhaps we had better not bathe.”
“Oh, of course those who are frightened need not bathe,” said Harriet: “but I am going into the water for one.”
“But where is father? where is my father?” asked Ralph.
“He has gone,” said Harriet, “out of great kindness to me to find out if a telegram has come on board the ‘Sea-Gull’ to tell me about my own father, who isn’t well. Isn’t it good of him?”
“Just like father,” said Ralph. “And is your father very, very bad, Harriet?”