“Yes, but— Well, it ceased to be amusing when I realized the annoyance it might bring to Miss Lyndsay.”
“I dare say you will be able to make your peace,” said his host, as Carington took his hand. At the boat, to which he walked with the elder man, he paused:
“May I say a word to that boy of yours?”
“To Ned? Yes, certainly.” He called, “Ned! Halloa! Come here!” for the lad had gone up to the cabin with Rose.
“Coming,” cried Ned, from the porch, where, with Anne, he was trying to make a good case for Jack.
Meanwhile, as Lyndsay was ordering a boat up to Jack, Ned came down to the strand.
“Mr. Carington wished to see you,” said Lyndsay. “Good-by, and breakfast at half-past eight to-morrow”; and so, with ready tact, he went up the cliff, leaving Ned with Carington.
“I wanted to see you a moment, Ned, while the matter is fresh. I want to say that I saw the whole affair on the shore. I was but thirty yards away. Perhaps you won’t think it a liberty, my lad, if I say you behaved admirably, and kept your wits, too. You showed both good sense and courage.” He spoke as if he were addressing an equal.
Ned flushed with pleasure. “Oh, thank you!”
“That’s all. I think you and I shall be friends after this. You must come up and see me; we might kill a salmon. Good-by.” And he pushed off.