"Goin' alone, are you? All right; go it. If you want any chaperonin' done, just send a cable message; money back if you're not suited. Ta-ta! Be good!" Leander sat down on the wharf and drew his knees up to his chin. In this position he pulled out of his pocket two cigarettes which he had that day taken from Lawrence's case. Then he took a match from another pocket and "lighted up," puffing so fast that he soon began to choke. Meanwhile, Lawrence, with the facility of custom, and notwithstanding the darkness, had put up the sail, and the boat skimmed swiftly out over the water. There was a tiny cabin, a place only made for shelter in a storm. At the entrance of this cabin now a voice asked: "Is that you, Lee? How did you get the sail up without my help?" CHAPTER VII. "A BLESSED CHANCE." When Lawrence heard that voice his hand suddenly slackened on the rope and the sail almost swung loose. The boat wavered, then with a quick firmness his grasp on the tiller and rope strengthened, and the craft gathered herself and darted forward, the water splashing away from her sides, the wind humming. Lawrence did not turn his head, and at first he did not speak. The sail and the darkness shielded him. "I thought I heard talking," went on the voice, "but the wind blew so I couldn't be sure. I hope no one knows about our lark. It would spoil the fun; besides, they'd worry." Silence again. The boat gained in speed as it left the shelter of the land. Was it a moment or was it a half-hour that passed before the voice said, sharply: "Leander!" "It's not Leander," was the just audible answer. To this there was no response for so long a time that Lawrence almost began to think that his sense of hearing had played him false. Had he really heard anything? He made a great effort to become calmer. He had pulled the sail taut and fastened it. He now stood perfectly still, with the tiller in his hand. The boat was heeling over as she went on, the water hissing past her. He took note that the sky seemed to be clearing; the stars were brighter. He remembered that Leander and Prudence used to go out in the _Vireo_ sometimes by themselves, for Prudence, as Carolyn often said, was better than most skippers, and Lee made a good second officer. After awhile Lawrence knew that Prudence had left the cabin; he knew that she was standing close to him, steadying herself by the mast. "Sit down," he said, with authority. She obeyed, placing herself in the stern-seat near where he stood. In a moment he sat down beside her. He wondered if he should think to hold the tiller, his surprise was so great. "Did you know I was here?" she asked. "No. I felt a sudden wish to take a sail. I came down here; I met Leander at the wharf; I wouldn't let him go." "You wanted to be alone?" "Yes," he said, with hesitation. A silence, and then Prudence exclaimed, "Oh, how strange this is!" "Yes." Lawrence spoke mechanically. Presently he asked, "Shall I put the boat about?"