knowledge； and produced a new idea。 The course of the boat was
immediately changed under his direction。 In a few minutes more；
the company found themselves in a little island creek； with a
lonely cottage at the far end of it； and a perfect forest of
reeds closing the view all round them。 〃What do you say； ladies
and gentlemen； to stepping on shore and seeing what a
reed…cutter's cottage looks like？〃 suggested young Pedgift。
〃We say yes； to be sure；〃 answered Allan。 〃I think our spirits
have been a little dashed by Mr。 Pentecos t's illness and Mrs。
Pentecost's bag；〃 he added； in a whisper to Miss Milroy。 〃A
change of this sort is the very thing we want to set us all going
again。〃
He and young Pedgift handed Miss Milroy out of the boat。 The
major followed。 Mrs。 Pentecost sat immovable as the Egyptian
Sphinx； with her bag on her knees； mounting guard over 〃Sammy〃 in
the cabin。
〃We must keep the fun going； sir；〃 said Allan； as he helped the
major over the side of the boat。 〃We haven't half done yet with
the enjoyment of the day。〃
His voice seconded his hearty belief in his own prediction to
such good purpose that even Mrs。 Pentecost heard him； and
ominously shook her head。
〃Ah！〃 sighed the curate's mother； 〃if you were as old as I am；
young gentleman； you wouldn't feel quite so sure of the enjoyment
of the day！〃
So； in rebuke of the rashness of youth； spoke the caution of age。
The negative view is notoriously the safe view； all the world
over； and the Pentecost philosophy is； as a necessary
consequence； generally in the right。
CHAPTER IX。
FATE OR CHANCE？
IT was close on six o'clock when Allan and his friends left the
boat； and the evening influence was creeping already； in its
mystery and its stillness； over the watery solitude of the
Broads。
The shore in these wild regions was not like the shore elsewhere。
Firm as it looked； the garden ground in front of the
reed…cutter's cottage was floating ground； that rose and fell and
oozed into puddles under the pressure of the foot。 The boatmen
who guided the visitors warned them to keep to the path； and
pointed through gaps in the reeds and pollards to grassy places；
on which strangers would have walked confidently； where the crust
of earth was not strong enough to bear the weight of a child over
the unfathomed depths of slime and water beneath。 The solitary
cottage； built of planks pitched black； stood on ground that had
been steadied and strengthened by resting it on piles。 A little
wooden tower rose at one end of the roof； and served as a lookout
post in the fowling season。 From this elevation the eye ranged
far and wide over a wilderness of winding water and lonesome
marsh。 If the reed…cutter had lost his boat； he would have been
as completely isolated from all communication with town or
village as if his place of abode had been a light…vessel instead
of a cottage。 Neither he nor his family complained of their
solitude； or looked in any way the rougher or the worse for it。
His wife received the visitors hospitably； in a snug little room；
with a raftered ceiling； and windows which looked like windows in
a cabin on board ship。 His wife's father told stories of the
famous days when the smugglers came up from the sea at night；
rowing through the net…work of rivers with muffled oars till they
gained the lonely Broads； and sank their spirit casks in the
water； far from the coast…guard's reach。 His wild little children
played at hide…and…seek with the visitors； and the visitors
ranged in and out of the cottage； and round and round the morsel
of firm earth on which it stood； surprised and delighted by the
novelty of all they saw。 The one person who noticed the advance
of the eveningthe one person who thought of the flying time and
the stationary Pentecosts in the boatwas young Pedgift。 That
experienced pilot of the Broads looked askance at his watch； and
drew Allan aside at the first opportunity。
〃I don't wish to hurry you； Mr。 Armadale；〃 said Pedgift Junior；
〃but the time is getting on； and there's a lady in the case。 〃
〃A lady？〃 repeated Allan。
〃Yes； sir；〃 rejoined young Pedgift。 〃A lady from London；
connected （if you'll allow me to jog your memory） with a
pony…chaise and white harness。〃
〃Good heavens； the governess！〃 cried Allan。 〃Why； we have
forgotten all about her！〃
〃Don't be alarmed； sir； there's plenty of time； if we only get
into the boat again。 This is how it stands； Mr。 Armadale。 We
settled； if you remember； to have the gypsy tea…making at the
next 'Broad' to thisHurle Mere？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Allan。 〃Hurle Mere is the place where my friend
Midwinter has promised to come and meet us。〃
〃Hurle Mere is where the governess will be； sir； if your coachman
follows my directions；〃 pursued young Pedgift。 〃We have got
nearly an hour's punting to do； along the twists and turns of the
narrow waters （which they call The Sounds here） between this and
Hurle Mere； and according to my calculations we must get on board
again in five minutes； if we are to be in time to meet the
governess and to meet your friend。〃
〃We mustn't miss my friend on any account；〃 said Allan； 〃or the
governess； either； of course。 I'll tell the major。〃
Major Milroy was at that moment preparing to mount the wooden
watch…tower of the cottage to see the view。 The ever useful
Pedgift volunteered to go up with him； and rattle off all the
necessary local explanations in half the time which the
reed…cutter would occupy in describing his own neighborhood to a
stranger。
Allan remained standing in front of the cottage； more quiet and
more thoughtful than usual。 His interview with young Pedgift had
brought his absent friend to his memory for the first time since
the picnic party had started。 He was surprised that Midwinter； so
much in his thoughts on all other occasions； should have been so
long out of his thoughts now。 Something troubled him； like a
sense of self…reproach； as his mind reverted to the faithful
friend at home； toiling hard over the steward's books； in his
interests and for his sake。 〃Dear old fellow；〃 thought Allan； 〃I
shall be so glad to see him at the Mere； the day's pleasure won't
be complete till he joins us！〃
〃Should I be right or wrong； Mr。 Armadale； if I guessed that you
were thinking of somebody？〃 asked a voice； softly； behind him。
Allan turned； and found the major誷 daughter at his side。 Miss
Milroy （not unmindful of a certain tender interview which had
taken place behind a carriage） had noticed her admirer standing
thoughtfully by himself； and had determined on giving him another
opportunity； while her father and young Pedgift were at the top
of the watch…tower。
〃You know everything；〃 said Allan； smiling。 〃I _was_ thinking of
somebody。〃
Miss Milroy stole a glance at hima glance of gentle
encouragement。 There could be but one human creature in Mr。
Armadale's mind after what had passed between them that morning！
It would be only an act of mercy to take him back again at once
to the interrupted conversation of a few hours since on the
subject of names。
〃I have bean thinking of somebody； too；〃 she said； half…inviting；
half…repelling the coming avowal。 〃If I tell you the first letter
of my Somebody's name； will you tell me the first letter of
yours？〃
〃I will tell you anything you like；〃 rejoined Allan； with the
utmost enthusiasm。
She still shrank coquettishly from the very subject that she
wanted to approach。 〃Tell me your letter first；〃 she said； in low
tones； looking away from him。
Allan laughed。 〃M；〃 he said； 〃is my first letter。〃
She started a little。 Strange that he should be thinking of her
by her surname instead of her Christian name； but it mattered
little as long as he _was_ thinking of her。
〃What is your letter？〃 asked Allan。
She blushed and smiled。 〃Aif you will have it！〃 she answered；
in a reluctant little whisper。 She stole another look at him； and
luxuriously protracted her enjoyment of the coming avowal once
more。 〃How many syllables is the name in？〃 she asked； drawing
patterns shyly on the ground with the end of the parasol。
No man with the slightest knowledge of the sex would have been
rash enough； in Allan's position； to tell her the truth。 Allan；
who knew nothing whatever of woman's natures； and who told the
truth right and left in all mortal emergencies； answered as if he
had been under examination in a court of justice。
〃It's a name in three syllables；〃 he said。
Miss Milroy's downcast eyes flashed up at him like lightning。
〃Three！〃 she repeated in the blankest astonishment。
Allan was too inveterately straightforward to take the warning
even now。 〃I'm not strong at my spelling； I know；〃 he said； with
his lighthearted laugh。 〃But I don't think I'm wrong； in calling
Midwinter a name in t hree syllables。 I was thinking of my
friend； but never mind my thoughts。 Tell me who A istell me
whom _you_ were thinking of？〃
〃Of the first letter of the alphabet； Mr。 Armadale； and I beg
positively to inform you of nothing more！〃
With that annihilating answer the major's daughter put up her
parasol and walked back by herself to the boat。
Allan stood petrified with amazement。 If Miss Milroy had actually
boxed his ears （and there is no denying that she had privately
longed to devote her hand to that purpose）； he could hardly have
felt more bewildered than he felt now。 〃What on earth have I
done？〃 he asked himself； helplessly； as the major and young
Pedgift joined him； and the three walked down together to the
water…side。 〃I wonder what she'll say to me next？〃
She said absolutely nothing； she never so much as looked at Allan
when he took his place in the boat。 There she sat； with her eyes
and her complexion both much brighter than usual； taking the
deepest interest in the curate's progress toward recovery； in the
state of Mrs。 Pentecost's spirits； in Pedgift Junior （for whom
she ostentatiously made room enough to let him sit beside her）；
in the scenery and the reed…cutter's cottage； in everybody and
everything but Allanwhom she would have married with the
greatest pleasure five minutes since。 〃I'll never forgive him；〃
thought the major's daughter。 〃To be thinking of that ill…bred