[Illustration: "A PARTY OF THREE OLD MAIDEN LADIES, WITH THREE DOGS AND TWO CANARIES."] I was getting angry and the sun was blistering my neck. "Well, I have taken it for four weeks from August 13, and have paid a deposit on it." "And I have taken it for four weeks from August 12, and have paid a deposit and half the rent," I said. "We came in yesterday, and we go out September 9." "And you have an agreement with Mr. Scorer?" "Certainly I have, but I have not got it on me." "Well, I'll be hanged," said the old gentleman, very red in the face, and turned to his women folk. "My dears, there is evidently some mistake. An infernal nuisance, but this gentleman is evidently not to blame. Would you mind my seeing your agreement?" he asked, turning again to me. "Certainly I would mind. My agreement has nothing to do with you, sir, and I am not in the habit of having my word doubted. Now perhaps you will permit me to go in and dress, before my neck is absolutely raw." They hung around for a time, talking unpleasantly among themselves, and finally the old gentleman stalked off to the town, and came back with a cart for their belongings. They were loaded up, and the party disappeared in a cloud of dust on the way to Eastnor. "That is rather a curious thing," said my wife, when I detailed the experiences of the morning to her on her return from her shopping. "I hope--" "Oh, we're all right," I said, lightly. "They can't put us out. Possession, you know--" "Yes, I know. I wasn't thinking of that," she said, with a far-away look in her eyes. By evening the raw edge of the annoyance of the morning had worn off. We sat in the porch enjoying the evening breeze, and counted ourselves for the time being among the fortunate ones of the earth. Our charity even extended at odd moments to the disappointed would-be occupants of our shoes--and bedrooms, and we devoutly hoped they had found rooms somewhere, and were not occupying airy apartments in bathing machines. "It was a stupid mistake of Mr. Joseph Scorer's," we said, "and he ought to be more careful." "I shall write when I have time," I said, "and tell him so." But I never had time. I was much too fully occupied with other things. Next day, after a morning bathe and paddle on the sands and early dinner, we started for a long afternoon's ramble round Eastnor, to get some idea of the place, leaving the two youngest children with the servant, with strict injunctions not to get drowned, and to get their tea whenever they felt like it. We did Eastnor thoroughly, and then, noticing that there was a concert on the pier that night, my wife suggested tea at a confectioner's, and an adjournment to the pier afterwards for the concert. This was carried with acclaim. We enjoyed the tea, the concert, and the stroll home, and arrived at Sandybank Cottage about ten o'clock, fully satisfied with our day's outing. Amelia met us at the door. She was in a state of extreme nervous excitement.