Crow was dressed and putting one short pin in a nice little close hat, when she heard Adrian come back. He came into her room, hardly waiting for the answer to his knock, shut the door, and leaned his back against it. Christobel, instantly aware of something new, turned round; her brother was breathing rather fast, and there were sparks in his hazel eyes. "Something is up, Crow--no question." "Why--what?" "Oh, the dinghy has been used--she’s full of gravel and footmarks--sculls messed up--anchor shifted--painter wet and muddled up--whole thing anyhow, and up in a new place, not where I put her." Christobel exclaimed softly; Adrian went on: "Someone’s been on board the yawl. The fore-hatch is hauled off! there are any amount of wet footmarks and gravel prints inside, on deck, especially on the counter. The companion door is wide open. Besides that, one of the bunks, the one you use, was all untidy--all the cushions were on that side--and sort of messed up. Once before I had a dim idea someone had been on board----" "So had I," murmured Crow softly. "You never said so." "Well, I thought I was mistaken. It was so unlikely." "It’s obvious," said Adrian drily, "that very unlikely things are the order of the day. In fact, it’s just as well not to say ’all things are possible’. Also there’s no use in pretending Penberthy or Fraser would do it, because it’s out of their line altogether. Somebody has been on board who doesn’t understand boats--I mean, that’s my impression." "Then it can’t be Pam," interrupted Christobel hastily Adrian saw the argument in her mind. "Don’t ask me--don’t say ’can’t be’, anyway. I feel inclined to say ’I’m mad, you’re mad, we’re all mad’ like the cat in Alice. Anyway, it’ll take me an hour to clean up." "Oh, Addie, what about Salterne?" "Never mind, we’ll go to Peterock instead; tide’s A1 for Peterock after nine o’clock." *CHAPTER XVII* *In which Amazing Things Happen* The only thing confided to the general public about this surprising development was that Adrian considered the allowance of tide all too short for reaching Salterne, which was true, and had decided therefore to make a day at Peterock. For the latter place everything was convenient, the out-going tide would begin to ebb soon after nine o’clock, and turn between three and four in the afternoon; could anything be better?