"Don't give yourself any uneasiness at all about it. I will certainly be present at the examination."
"But are you sure you know where my mother got the bill, sir?" asked Bobtail.
"Certainly, I do; and she came honestly by it. But as this is her affair, I don't feel at liberty to say anything about it yet."
Little Bobtail was confounded by this sudden solution of the mystery. If Colonel Montague knew where his mother had obtained the bill, it was plain enough to him that he had given it to her himself. He could not, for the life of him, see why this gentleman, wealthy and liberal though he was, should give her such an immense sum of money. It was a very perplexing problem, and he could not solve it. His kind friend conducted him to the house. Grace was so glad to see him, that she actually kissed him this time; and Bobtail felt as though he had tumbled into a cream-pot. Mrs. Montague was very demonstrative, and the Hon. Mr. Montague was more dignified, but hardly less cordial.
"Now you must stay with us all night, and all to-morrow, and all next week," said Grace.
"I can't," laughed Bobtail. "I brought two gentlemen up in the Skylark, and I must sail them back to-night."
"Plague take the two gentlemen!" said Grace, pettishly. "Let them go back in the stage or the steamer."
"I promised to take them back to-night; and I must keep my promise, you know, if the sky falls," pleaded the young skipper.
"Of course he must, Grace," added her father. "But he will come up some other time, and stay a month."
Little Bobtail spent an hour in the elegant mansion, whose luxuriously furnished apartments filled him with wonder and astonishment, for he had never seen anything half so fine. He promised faithfully to come some other time, and stay longer. Grace walked with him down to the wharf. The Skylark's passengers were on board, and ready to start, and in a few moments the yacht was under way. Grace waved her handkerchief to the gallant skipper, as the Skylark pulled away.