“I should think not, uncle,” the girl said. “In the first place, I was a little girl in short frocks when I saw you last; and in the second place, I am so covered with the dust that you can hardly see what I am like. I think I should have known you; your visit made a great impression upon us, though I can remember now how disappointed we were when you first arrived that you hadn’t a red coat and a sword, as we had expected.” “Well, we may as well be off at once, Isobel; it is only five minutes’ walk to the bungalow. My man will see to your luggage being brought up. Come along, Doctor. Of course you will put up with me until you can look round and fix upon quarters. I told Rumzan to bring your things round with my niece’s. You have had a very pleasant voyage out, I hope, Isobel?” he went on, as they started. “Very pleasant, uncle, though I got rather tired of it at last.” “That is generally the way--everyone is pleasant and agreeable at first, but before they get to the end they take to quarreling like cats and dogs.” “We were not quite as bad as that,” the girl laughed, “but we certainly weren’t as amiable the last month or so as we were during the first part of the voyage. Still, it was very pleasant all along, and nobody quarreled with me.” “Present company are always excepted,” the Doctor said. “I stood in loco parentis, Major, and the result has been that I shall feel in future more charitable towards mothers of marriageable daughters. Still, I am bound to say that Miss Hannay has given me as little trouble as could be expected.” “You frighten me, Doctor; if you found her so onerous only for a voyage, what have I to look forward to?” “Well, you can’t say that I didn’t warn you, Major; when you wrote home and asked me to take charge of your niece on the way out, I told you frankly that my opinion of your good sense was shaken.” “Yes, you did express yourself with some strength,” the Major laughed; “but then one is so accustomed to that, that I did not take it to heart as I might otherwise have done.” “That was before you knew me, Dr. Wade, otherwise I should feel very hurt,” the girl put in. “Yes, it was,” the Doctor said dryly. “Don’t mind him, my dear,” her uncle said; “we all know the Doctor of old. This is my bungalow.” “It is pretty, with all these flowers and shrubs round it,” she said admiringly. “Yes, we have been doing a good deal of watering the last few weeks, so as to get it to look its best. This is your special attendant; she will take you up to your room. By the time you have had a bath, your boxes will be here. I told them to have a cup of tea ready for you upstairs. Breakfast will be on the table by the time you are ready.” “Well, old friend,” he said to the Doctor, when the girl had gone upstairs, “no complications, I hope, on the voyage?”