"Well, perhaps I can say it as well indoors," murmured Edward, resignedly.
"And you'll have a bigger audience," said Prudence, breathing more easily as she reached the house. "Uncle is indoors."
She passed through the kitchen and into the sitting-room so hastily that Captain Bowers, who was sitting by the window reading, put down his paper and looked up in surprise. The look of grim determination on Mr. Tredgold's face did not escape him.
"Mr. Tredgold has come indoors to talk sense," said Prudence, demurely.
"Talk sense?" repeated the astonished captain.
"That's what he says," replied Miss Drewitt, taking a low chair by the captain's side and gazing composedly at the intruder. "I told him that you would like to hear it."
She turned her head for a second to hide her amusement, and in that second Mr. Tredgold favoured the captain with a glance the significance of which was at once returned fourfold. She looked up just in time to see their features relaxing, and moving nearer to the captain instinctively placed her hand upon his knee.
"I hope," said Captain Bowers, after a long and somewhat embarrassing silence—"I hope the conversation isn't going to be above my head?"