"Met the professor's late boatman on the Cob," said Mr. Chase,dissecting a chocolate cake.

　　"Clumsy man," said Phyllis. "I hope he was ashamed of himself. I shallnever forgive him for trying to drown papa."My heart bled for Mr. Henry Hawk, that modern martyr.

　　"When I met him," said Tom Chase, "he looked as if he had been tryingto drown his sorrow as well.""I knew he drank," said Phyllis severely, "the very first time I sawhim.""You might have warned the professor," murmured Mr. Chase.

　　"He couldn't have upset the boat if he had been sober.""You never know. He may have done it on purpose.""Tom, how absurd.""Rather rough on the man, aren't you?" I said.

　　"Merely a suggestion," continued Mr. Chase airily. "I've been readingsensational novels lately, and it seems to me that Mr. Hawk's cut outto be a minion. Probably some secret foe of the professor's bribedhim."My heart stood still. Did he know, I wondered, and was this all aroundabout way of telling me he knew?

　　"The professor may be a member of an Anarchist League, or something,and this is his punishment for refusing to assassinate somesportsman.""Have another cup of tea, Tom, and stop talking nonsense."Mr. Chase handed in his cup.

　　"What gave me the idea that the upset was done on purpose was this. Isaw the whole thing from the Ware Cliff. The spill looked to me justlike dozens I had seen at Malta.""Why do they upset themselves on purpose at Malta particularly?"inquired Phyllis.

　　"Listen carefully, my dear, and you'll know more about the ways of theNavy that guards your coasts than you did before. When men are allowedon shore at Malta, the owner has a fancy to see them snugly on boardagain at a certain reasonable hour. After that hour any Maltesepoliceman who brings them aboard gets one sovereign, cash. But he hasto do all the bringing part of it on his own. Consequence is, you seeboats rowing out to the ship, carrying men who have overstayed theirleave; and when they get near enough, the able-bodied gentleman incustody jumps to his feet, upsets the boat, and swims for the gangway.

　　The policemen, if they aren't drowned--they sometimes are--race him,and whichever gets there first wins. If it's the policeman, he getshis sovereign. If it's the sailor, he is considered to have arrivednot in a state of custody and gets off easier. What a judicious remarkthat was of the governor of North Carolina to the governor of SouthCarolina, respecting the length of time between drinks. Just one morecup, please, Phyllis.""But how does all that apply?" I asked, dry-mouthed.

　　"Mr. Hawk upset the professor just as those Maltese were upset.

　　There's a patent way of doing it. Furthermore, by judiciousquestioning, I found that Hawk was once in the Navy, and stationed atMalta. /Now/, who's going to drag in Sherlock Holmes?""You don't really think--?" I said, feeling like a criminal in thedock when the case is going against him.

　　"I think friend Hawk has been re-enacting the joys of his vanishedyouth, so to speak.""He ought to be prosecuted," said Phyllis, blazing with indignation.

　　Alas, poor Hawk!

　　"Nobody's safe with a man of that sort, hiring out a boat." Oh,miserable Hawk!

　　"But why on earth should he play a trick like that on ProfessorDerrick, Chase?""Pure animal spirits, probably. Or he may, as I say, be a minion."I was hot all over.

　　"I shall tell father that," said Phyllis in her most decided voice,"and see what he says. I don't wonder at the man taking to drink afterdoing such a thing.""I--I think you're making a mistake," I said.

　　"I never make mistakes," Mr. Chase replied. "I am called Archibald theAll-Right, for I am infallible. I propose to keep a reflective eyeupon the jovial Hawk."He helped himself to another section of the chocolate cake.

　　"Haven't you finished /yet/, Tom?" inquired Phyllis. "I'm sure Mr.

　　Garnet's getting tired of sitting talking here," she said.

　　I shot out a polite negative. Mr. Chase explained with his mouth fullthat he had by no means finished. Chocolate cake, it appeared, was thedream of his life. When at sea he was accustomed to lie awake o'

　　nights thinking of it.

　　"You don't seem to realise," he said, "that I have just come from acruise on a torpedo-boat. There was such a sea on as a rule thatcooking operations were entirely suspended, and we lived on ham andsardines--without bread.""How horrible!""On the other hand," added Mr. Chase philosophically, "it didn'tmatter much, because we were all ill most of the time.""Don't be nasty, Tom.""I was merely defending myself. I hope Mr. Hawk will be able to do aswell when his turn comes. My aim, my dear Phyllis, is to show you in aseries of impressionist pictures the sort of thing I have to gothrough when I'm not here. Then perhaps you won't rend me so savagelyover a matter of five minutes' lateness for breakfast.""Five minutes! It was three-quarters of an hour, and everything wassimply frozen.""Quite right too in weather like this. You're a slave to convention,Phyllis. You think breakfast ought to be hot, so you always have ithot. On occasion I prefer mine cold. Mine is the truer wisdom. You cangive the cook my compliments, Phyllis, and tell her--gently, for Idon't wish the glad news to overwhelm her--that I enjoyed that cake.

　　Say that I shall be glad to hear from her again. Care for a game oftennis, Garnet?""What a pity Norah isn't here," said Phyllis. "We could have had afour.""But she is a present wasting her sweetness on the desert air ofYeovil. You had better sit down and watch us, Phyllis. Tennis in thissort of weather is no job for the delica............