IN a somewhat ruffled state of mind Captain Trimblett pursued his way toward Tranquil Vale, a row of neat cottages situated about a mile and a half from the town, and inhabited principally by retired mariners. The gardens, which ran down to the river, boasted a particularly fine strain of flag-staffs; battered figure-heads in swan-like attitudes lent a pleasing touch of colour, and old boats sawn in halves made convenient arbours in which to sit and watch the passing pageant of the sea. At No. 5 the captain paused to pass a perfectly dry boot over a scraper of huge dimensions which guarded the entrance, and, opening the door, finished off on the mat. Mrs. Susanna Chinnery, who was setting tea, looked up at his entrance, and then looked at the clock. “Kettle’s just on the boil,” she remarked. “Your kettle always is,” said the captain, taking a chair—“when it’s time for it to be, I mean,” he added, hastily, as Mrs. Chinnery showed signs of correcting him. “It’s as easy to be punctual as otherwise,” said Mrs. Chinnery; “easier, if people did but know it.” “So it is,” murmured the captain, and sat gazing, with a sudden wooden expression, at a picture opposite of the eruption of Vesuvius. “Peter’s late again,” said Mrs. Chinnery, in tones of hopeless resignation. “Business, perhaps,” suggested Captain Trimblett, still intent on Vesuvius. “For years and years you could have set the clock by him,” continued Mrs. Chinnery, bustling out to the kitchen and bustling back again with the kettle; “now I never know when to expect him. He was late yesterday.” Captain Trimblett cleared his throat. “He saw a man nearly run over,” he reminded her. “Yes; but how long would that take him?” retorted Mrs. Chinnery. “If the man _had_ been run over I could have understood it.” The captain murmured something about shock. “On Friday he was thirty-three minutes late,” continued the other. “Friday,” said the faithful captain. “Friday he stopped to listen to a man playing the bagpipes—a Scotchman.” “That was Thursday,” said Mrs. Chinnery. The captain affected to ponder. “So it was,” he said, heartily. “What a memory you have got! Of course, Friday he walked back to the office for his pipe.” “Well, we won’t wait for him,” said Mrs. Chinnery, taking the head of the table and making the tea. “If he can’t come in to time he must put up with his tea being cold. That’s the way we were brought up.” “A very good way, too,” said the captain. He put a radish into his mouth and, munching slowly, fell to gazing at Vesuvius again. It was not until he had passed his cup up for the second time that a short, red-faced man came quickly into the room and, taking a chair from its place against the wall, brought it to the table and took a seat opposite the captain. “Late again, Peter,” said his sister. “Been listening to a man playing the cornet,” said Mr. Truefitt, briefly.