It was quite time; but they had not far to go, though when Dick did enter the room it was to find his father and Arthur half through their meal. "Three quarters of an hour late, Dick," said his father. "I waited half an hour for you before I sat down. Where have you been?" "To look at the sea, father; and up on the cliff to see how the wind blew--how strong, I mean." "Sit down," said his father rather sternly. "I like punctuality, and would rather know when you are going out." "Yes, father," said Dick, "I'll try and remember. I'm very sorry." Mr Temple did not answer, but raised the newspaper he was reading, and this covered his face. Evidently Arthur thought it covered his ears as well, for he said rather importantly:-- "I was here punctually to the moment." "Arthur," said his father quietly, "you had better go on with your breakfast, and not talk so much." Arthur coloured, and the breakfast was eaten during the rest of the time in silence--a state of affairs of which Dick took advantage, for the sea air had a wonderful effect upon his food-assimilating powers, and his performance on this particular morning made his brother leave off to stare. "My, Dick!" he exclaimed at last as that gentleman made an attack upon a second fried sole, one of several brought in by the trawl-boat on the previous night, "I say, how you are eating!" "Yes," said Dick, grinning, "I'm a growing boy." CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. UNCLE ABRAM COMES AS AN AMBASSADOR, AND GAINS HIS ENDS. "I wanted to make our expedition," said Mr Temple, "but it is impossible, of course, to-day in the face of such a storm. What are you boys going to do?" "Read, papa," said Arthur. "It is too rough to go out." "And you, Dick?" "Ask you to lend me your Mackintosh, father. It's too rough to stay in. The sea's grand." Arthur had already taken up a book, but he now laid it down. "I don't think it rains, does it?" "No; only blows," replied Dick; "but when you get where the spray comes off the sea, it's like a shower." "I think we'll all go," said Mr Temple. "I want to test a few minerals first. Afterwards I should like to go down and have a look at the waves." It was settled that the boys should wait, and Mr Temple at once lit a spirit-lamp from a strong box of apparatus he had brought down; and, taking out a blow-pipe, he spent some little time melting, or calcining, different pieces of ore and stone that he had collected, one special piece being of white-looking mineral that took Dick's notice a good deal, for it seemed familiar. "Isn't that the stone you got in the place Will Marion showed to you, father?" "Yes, my boy," said Mr Temple; "why?" "Only I thought it was," said Dick. "Is it valuable?" "I don't know yet. Perhaps." "If it is valuable, will it do Will any good?" "I don't know yet about that either, my inquisitive young friend," said Mr Temple.