"What a fellow you are, Pradelle!" he said, as he jumped on to a rock, and twisted the chain about a block. "Very sorry, dear boy. Didn't think of that." "No," said the first sourly, "you didn't." He was a well-knit manly fellow, singularly like his sister, while his companion, whom he had addressed as Pradelle, seemed to be his very opposite in every way, though on the whole better looking; in fact, his features were remarkably handsome, or would have been had they not been marred by his eyes, which were set close together, and gave him a shifty look. "How are you, uncle? How do, Leslie!" said Harry, as he stood twirling a gold locket at the end of his chain, to receive a grunt from the fisherman, and a friendly nod from the young mine-owner. "So here you are then," he continued; "we've been looking for you everywhere. You said you were going along the west walk." "Yes, but we saw uncle fishing, and came down to him." "Well, come along now." "Come? Where?" "Come where? Why for a sail. Wind's just right. Jump in." Duncan Leslie looked grave, but he brightened a little as he heard what followed. "Oh, no, Harry." As she spoke, Louise Vine glanced at her companion, in whose face she read an eager look of acquiescence in the proposed trip, which changed instantly to one of agreement with her negative. "There, Vic. Told you so. Taken all our trouble for nothing." "But, Harry--" "Oh, all right," he cried, interrupting her, in an ill-used tone. "Just like girls. Here's our last day before we go back to the confounded grindstone. We've got the boat, the weather's lovely; we've been looking for you everywhere, and it's `Oh no, Harry!' And Madelaine looking as if it would be too shocking to go for a sail." "We don't like to disappoint you," said Madelaine, "but--" "But you'd rather stay ashore," said the young man shortly. "Never mind, Vic, old chap, we'll go alone, and have a good smoke. Cheerful, isn't it? I say, Uncle Luke, you're quite right." "First time you ever thought so then," said the old man shortly. "Perhaps Miss Vine will reconsider her determination," said the young man's companion, in a low soft voice, as he went toward Louise, and seemed to Duncan Leslie to be throwing all the persuasion possible into his manner. "Oh no, thank you, Mr Pradelle," she replied hastily, and Duncan Leslie once more felt relieved and yet pained, for there was a peculiar consciousness in her manner. "We had brought some cans with us and a hammer and chisel," continued Pradelle. "Harry thought we might go as far as the gorns." "Zorns, man," cried Harry. "I beg pardon, zorns, and get a few specimens for Mr Vine." "It was very kind and thoughtful of Harry," said Louise hastily, "and we are sorry to disappoint him--on this his last day--but--" "Blessed _but_!" said Harry, with a sneer; and he gave Madelaine a withering look, which made her bite her lip.