And he vanished abruptly into the darkness.
* * * * * *
“The question before the house,” said Noel the next morning at breakfast, “is this: how am I going to lose myself to-day?”
“Oh, no!” cried Judy in a panic at the thought. “You’re not to, Noel. Please don’t leave me. I’ve quite changed my mind. I think it’s much better to let things take their own course.”
“All right, let them,” he agreed. “All I mean to do is to clear the course a bit. It’s going to be rather difficult. I think I’d better leave it to the inspiration of the moment.”
He said no more about it, and promptly at half-past nine they left the inn together and made their way toward Cliff Cottage. They had gone less than half way, however, when they met Chip walking toward them with long strides.
“Good morning!” he called out. “Did you sleep well?”
“We never slept better,” answered Judy, “and I feel as if I could walk twenty miles.”
“So do I,” said Noel, “but all the walking I shall do this morning will be to the post office and back.”
“Why?” exclaimed the other two.