“Where have you been, sir?” he said sternly. Pan crouched at his feet, not even shaking himself first. “You rascal--where have you been?” Bevis was inclined to thrash him, he was so angry at the mistake he had almost made, angry with the dog because he had almost shot him. But Pan crouched so close to the ground under his very feet that he did not strike him. “It was you who frightened the herons,” he said. Pan instantly recognised the change in the tone of his voice, and sprang up, jumped round, barked, and then shook the water from his shaggy coat. It was no use evidently now to think of shooting a heron, the spaniel had alarmed them and Bevis returned to the hut. He woke Mark, and told him. “That’s why he’s so lazy in the morning,” said Mark. “Don’t you recollect? He sleeps all the morning.” “And won’t eat anything.” “I believe he’s been home,” said Mark. “Very likely Polly throws the bones out still by his house.” “That’s it: you old glutton!” said Bevis. Pan jumped on the bed, licked Mark, then jumped on Bevis’s knees, leaving the marks of his wet paws, to which the sand had adhered, then he barked and wagged his tail as much as to say, “Am I not clever?” “O! yes,” said Mark, “you’re very knowing, but you won’t do that again.” “No, that you won’t, sir,” said Bevis. “You’ll be tied up to-night.” “Tight as tight,” said Mark. “Just think,” said Bevis. “He must have swum all down the channel we came up on the catamaran. Why it’s a hundred and fifty yards--” “Or two hundred--only some of it is shallow. Perhaps he could bottom some part--” “But not very far--and then run all the way home, and then all the way back, and then swim off again.” “A regular voyage--and every night too.” “You false old greedy Pan!” “To leave us when we thought you were watching while we slept.” “To desert your post, you faithless sentinel.” Pan looked from one to the other, as if he understood every word; he rolled up the whites of his eyes and looked so pious, they burst into fits of laughter. Pan wagged his tail and barked doubtfully; he had a shrewd suspicion they were laughing at him, and he did not like it. In fact, it was not only the flesh-pots that had attracted Pan from his post and led him to traverse the sea and land, and undergo such immense exertion, it was to speak to a friend of his.