the open herring smack, and she sitting on the ballast stones; and of
the fierce gale of wind and rain that hid the island from their sight;
and of her landing, drenched to the skin, and with the salt-water
running from her hair and down her face?

"Now for lunch," said Colonel Ross; and they went below.

The bright little saloon was decorated with flowers; the colored glass
on the table looked pretty enough; here was a pleasant break in the
monotony of the day. It was an occasion, too, for assiduous helpfulness,
and gentle inquiries, and patient attention. They forgot about the
various chances of the yachts. They could not at once have remembered
the name of the favorite. And there was a good deal of laughter and
pleasant chatting, while the band overhead--heard through the open
skylight--still played,

"O this is no my ain lassie,
Kind though the lassie be."

And behold! when they went up on deck again they had got ahead of all
the yachts, and were past the forts at the mouth of the Medway, and were
out on an open space of yellowish-green water that showed where the tide
of the sea met the current of the river. And away down there in the
south, a long spur of land ran out at the horizon, and the sea
immediately under was still and glassy, so that the neck of land seemed
projected into the sky--a sort of gigantic razor-fish suspended in the
silvery clouds. Then, to give the yachts time to overtake them, they
steamed over to a mighty ironclad that lay at anchor there; and as they
came near her vast black bulk they lowered their flag, and the band
played "Rule, Britannia." The salute was returned; the officer on the