"I couldn't! What would you think of a man who unloaded all his troubles on a woman like that?" "What would I think of him?" Pen was on her knees at the edge of the wharf reaching down for his things. The moonlight was in her face. She suddenly smiled at him in an oddly tender, an indulgent sort of way. "Don't be silly!" she said brusquely. "Hand me up that valise." The advantage was all with her now. His man's pride was hardly strong enough to tear him away from her. He passed up the valise. "I'll find some way to square the account," he grumbled. Pen smiled still. "What will we do with the canoe?" he asked, when their cargo was unloaded on the wharf. "Sink it in deep water at the end of the wharf," she said. "Good! I'll empty my clothes out and fill the valise with stones." "Such a good valise," objected the prudent Pen. "Couldn't you just load the stones in the canoe?" "No. She'd roll them out and come to the top. I can tie the valise to a thwart." How Pen loved to have him talk to her offhand as to another man! While he was attending to the canoe Pen busied herself dividing his belongings into two equal lots to carry up the hill. Her eyes ever glancing in the direction of the Island finally saw a tiny red and a green eye turn on them from afar. "They've started back," she said quietly. "We'll have to carry everything in one trip." "Oh, throw everything overboard that will sink." "You'll need it." "What are you going to do with me?" "Hide you in the woods." Presently the put-put of the noisy little boat came to them across the water. "No time to lose!" When Counsell came to her he coolly appropriated half her load. They wasted a good minute quarreling over it. Pen was not accustomed to having her will opposed by a man. Her undisputed sway at Broome's Point had made her a little too autocratic perhaps. A hot little flame of anger shot up in her breast. When she became angry Counsell laughed delightedly. This was outrageous. Nevertheless she liked it. She found a curious pleasure in giving in to him, and meekly accepted what he said she might carry. "What is happening to me?" she asked herself for the dozenth time that day. They plodded up the hill under their loads, Pen in advance. Their shadows marched before them. The whole earth was held in a spell of moonlight and the perfume of the wild grape. It sharpened their senses intolerably. Life seemed almost too much to be borne. Neither could speak. Once Counsell bending under the weight of his pack, mutely put his hand forward and groped for hers. "Don't! Don't!" she said painfully. "Oh, Pen!" he murmured. As they progressed along the top of the bank the motor-boat was completing her journey below them. They could glimpse the boat through the interstices of the bushes, but those in the boat could not have seen them. "We must hurry," said Pen. "They must see already that your tent is gone."