"Hey?" Mr. Jope by this time had one foot planted, very gingerly, on a flower-bed, and was reaching forth a hand to Clatworthy; and Clatworthy, squatting up to his chin in the warm mud, was lifting two naked arms to beat him off. "Private, hey?" says Mr. Jope, looking around and seeing the rest of the patients bobbing up and down in their baths between the rage of it and shame to show themselves too far. "Private? Then it oughtn't to be--that's all I say. But what in thunder are ye doing it for?" "Oh, get you gone, man!" groaned Clatworthy. "I've an appointment to keep!" "Not in that state, sure-ly?" "No, sir! But how am I to get out of this and dress, till you lead off the women? And your cursed intrusion has made me fill my hair with mud, and to cleanse and dress it again will cost me half an hour at least. Man, man, for pity's sake get out of this and take your women with you! Sir, when I tell you that in less than twenty minutes I am due to be at Merry-Garden--if you know where that is--" "_To_ be sure," put in Mr. Jope. "--To meet a company of ladies--" "Avast there! Why, 'tis less than a half-hour ago they turned _me_ out o' that very place. _You_--and in _that_ state! Oh, be ashamed o' yourself!" But just then a patient behind Clatworthy set up a yell so full of terror that even the doctor slewed round his head and splashed more mud over his hair, all combed as it was in full pigeon-wing style. "Bill!" said Mr. Jope, sharp-like. "Bill Adams! What are you doin' with that there water-pot?" "Helpin'," said Bill. "Helpin' 'em to grow!" VI. 'Tis time, though, that we went back to Merry-Garden. The rising tide--and I ought to have told you that the tides that day were close upon the top of the springs, with high-water at five o'clock or thereabouts--the rising tide had barely carried Mr. Jope and his party from Nandy's sight, round the bend, before another boatload of pleasure-seekers hove in sight at the mouth of the creek. They were twelve in all, and the boat a twenty-foot galley belonging to one of the war-ships in the Hamoaze. She had been borrowed for the afternoon by the ship's second lieutenant, a Mr. Hardcastle, and with him he had brought the third lieutenant, besides a score of young officers belonging to the garrison--a captain and two cornets of the 4th Dragoons, a couple of gunners--officers, that is, of the Artillery--an elderly major and an ensign of the Marines, and the rest belonging to the Thirty-second Regiment of Foot (one of 'em, if I recollect, the Doctor). The last of the party was a slip of an officer of the French Navy--Raynold by name-- that had been taken prisoner by Mr. Hardcastle's ship, and bore no malice for it: a cheerful, good-natured lad, and (now that he hadn't an excuse for fighting 'em) as merry with these young Britons as they were glad to have him of their party.