Fessenden led a line ashore and made it fast to a convenient tree. "Now, Miss Yarnell," he smiled, "the voyage is over. I'll really have to ask you to leave me--with my thanks for a delightful afternoon, after all. If you follow the bay shore, you'll be at Sandywood in half an hour, I fancy." She had joined him as he stood on the beach. "Thank you," she said gravely, "but I'm going with you." "Really, this is rather--rather----" "Impossible," she supplied. "Yes, I'll agree to anything you like to say of me, but, Mr. Fessenden, it's very important for me to go with you--to your appointment." He stared, bewildered not only by her audacity, but by her apparent knowledge of his plans. "Do you deny that you have an appointment with some one near here?" she demanded. "I don't deny it. But what if I have? This is too ridiculous! I don't know how you know where I'm bound, but--I don't want to be rude, Miss Yarnell--but even if you do know, I don't see how it matters to you." "It does matter to me," she said, sudden passion in her voice. "It matters terribly." Her suppressed excitement, her entire seriousness, could no longer be doubted. "I don't understand," he said. "I think you must be making some mistake." "No, no. I don't know exactly where you're going, I admit, but I know who it is you're going to see." He felt a baffling sense of amazement over an impossible situation. "Who is it, then?" he demanded. "Please, _please_ don't let us mention names. But I know. Mr. Fessenden, I recognized the envelope that boy brought up yesterday." "The envelope? O-oh! You did?" "Yes. I've seen that style of envelope too often not to know it. Now do you understand why I want to go with you?--why I _must_ go?" "I'm as much at sea as ever. Why?" She flushed vividly. "If you really can't guess, I--I can't tell you." He stared at her helplessly, then tossed both hands in a gesture of despair. "I give it up. I give _you_ up, in fact. You fairly make my head spin! It's getting late, Miss Yarnell. I think you'll find a path behind the grove." "I'm not going to Sandywood." "Then I'll leave you in possession of the yacht. Good-night." He took off his cap smilingly, and, turning, walked rapidly inland. He had not gone half a dozen yards when he heard a light footstep behind him, and wheeled to find her at his very heels. "I'm going with you." "You'll dog me across country?" he asked incredulously. She flushed painfully, but stood her ground. "I'm going with you," she repeated. "Oh, Lord!" he groaned. For a moment he eyed her rather malevolently. "Come back to the sloop, then. We'll talk it over." She followed obediently as he clambered over the low rail of the _Wisp_. "I don't know what to make of you," he complained. "I hardly know what to make of myself." "If I had more time, I might be able to get at things." "You'd better simply take me with you." "Hum-m," he said contemplatively.