"Fools will laugh at anything," said the doctor dryly; "but no one whose opinion is worth notice would laugh at a sensible costume. You would have gone down in a tall glossy hat, ironed and brushed up till it shines again. Hard, hot, uncomfortable, roughened at a touch, and perfectly absurd in a shower of rain. But it is the fashion, and you think it's right. Ladies study fashion, lad; look at them after they have been caught in a shower. Now in that rig-out you could go through anything." "Ready?" said Sir John, taking a soft wide-awake from the hat-stand. "Yes, and waiting," said the doctor; and they entered the carriage, which was driven off, Jack's last glance on leaving being at Edward on the doorsteps, as he patted his head, evidently in allusion to his young master's pith helmet. "Oh, if I had only been behind him!" thought the lad indignantly; which, being analysed, meant that a most decided change was taking place, for a month earlier Jack Meadows could not by any possibility have harboured the thought of kicking any one for a mocking gesture. In good time the terminus was reached, and soon after the fast train was whirling along, leaving the busy town behind, and off and away through the open country with gathering speed. Father and friend chatted away to the lad, but he was listless and dull, refusing to be interested in anything pointed out; and at last a meaning look passed between his companions, the doctor's eyes saying plainly enough--"Let him be: he'll come round by and by." But this did not seem likely to be the case, Jack not even being attracted by the first glimpse of the beautiful estuary of the Dart when it was reached in the evening, and they looked down from the heights as the train glided along, at the town nestling up the slopes upon the other side of the water. He did turn sharply once when the doctor said suddenly: "There are the two training ships for the naval cadets," and pointed at the old men-of-war with their tiers of ports, moored in midstream; and was feeling a strange sense of pity for the lads "cooped up," as he mentally called it, in the narrow limits of a ship, when the doctor suddenly exclaimed, "Look, look! both of you. I'll be bound to say that's our yacht." Jack glanced sharply at what seemed in comparison with the huge men-of-war, and seen at a distance, a little three-masted, white-looking vessel with a dwarfed funnel, lying at anchor, but he turned pale and listless again, utterly wearied out with his journey, nor did he revive over the comfortable dinner of which he partook without appetite. Sir John looked uneasy, but the doctor gave him a meaning nod. "You won't care about going to look over the yacht this evening, Jack?" he said. "I!" said the lad, almost imploringly. "No, not to-night."