We received him delightedly. The Mermaid's garments had been
placed by the thoughtful chambermaid in a little dressing-case.
Mine were tied together with a piece of string, after the manner
of costumes at Nathan's. But they were all right.

The girl started to dress behind a rock, and I told the fellow to
wait at the foot of the path. "I have reason,"I said, "reason to
believe that there are others even now in the same or self-same
plight as that in which you found us. Therefore remain within
call. Don't investigate for yourself. This is my show. But
don't go."

He promised.

Half an hour later he was once more on his way to the hotel with
a note from me for Daphne's maid, and the promise of half a
sovereign, while the Mermaid and I stood at the top of the path
which led down to the cove where the rest of my party were
chafing in exasperated idleness- with the exception of Berry,
that is. Prior to our arrival, he had been hovering about on the
top of the cliff, but the instant he descried us, and while we
were yet a great way off, he had retired precipitately, and was
now busy rejoining the others with Agag's walk and a profusion of
embryo profanity. He explained afterwards that if he had been
wearing his own bathing-dress, instead of a green and red striped
one- his own was being mended- he should have remained, but that
he did not like to be seen wearing the colours of the Redruth
Rangers before he had been elected.

After waiting a minute or two to compose ourselves and settle