They were obliged to return to the hotel for a meal, and Walter shrewdly suspected this was the result Jack had worked for.
However, the lunch was not a success. A crowd of excursionists had swept nearly everything in the shape of food before them, and left very little for any one who came after.
'Oh, dear,' sighed Mrs. Trehane, 'when I think of the nice ham sandwiches and hard-boiled eggs, the lovely meat patties and raspberry puffs, which are now floating away to sea, I do feel sad!'
'What an idiot you have been!' whispered Walter to Jack, and the latter was inclined to believe his friend spoke truly.
When Mr. Trehane pulled out some money in order to pay the bill, his wife gave another sigh.
'This is worse than the cold mutton, is it not?' he asked, laughing.
Then she laughed too and held up a warning finger.
'Hush!' she whispered, 'you must not let out my secret.'
'I think we must share it with Jack,' said Mr. Trehane. 'It will make him more careful in future when we trust him with our luncheon-basket.'
He had noticed his son's scornful look when the settlement of the bill was mentioned, and had partly guessed what was in his mind.