“I really don’t,” she assured him. “It’s some wonderful invention, I believe, but I can’t help resenting anything that makes us live like hermits, suspect even the tradespeople, give up entertaining altogether, give up even seeing our friends. I hope you are not going to hurry away, Captain Granet. I haven’t had a soul to speak to down here for months.” “I don’t think I shall go just yet,” he answered. “I want first to accomplish what I came here for.” She turned her head very slowly and looked at him. There was quite a becoming flush upon her cheeks. “What did you come for?” she asked softly. He was silent for a moment. Already his foot was on the brake of the car; they were drawing near the plain, five-barred gates. “Perhaps I am not quite sure about that myself,” he whispered. They had come to a standstill. She descended reluctantly. “I hate to send you away,” she sighed, “it seems so inhospitable. Will you come in for a little time? The worst that can happen, if we meet dad, is that he might be rather rude.” “I’ll risk it with pleasure,” Granet replied. “Can I see your collapsible boat?” she asked, peering in behind. He shook his head. “It isn’t my secret,” he said, “and besides, I don’t think my friend has the patent for it yet.” The sentry stood by and allowed them to pass, although he looked searchingly at Granet. They walked slowly up the scrubby avenue to the house. Once Granet paused to look down at the long arm of the sea on his left. “You have quite a river there,” he remarked. She nodded. “That used to be the principal waterway from Burnham village. Quite a large boat can get down now at high tide.” They entered the house and Isabel gave a little gesture of dismay. She clutched for a moment at Granet’s arm. An elderly man, dressed in somber black clothes disgracefully dusty, collarless, with a mass of white hair blown all over his face, was walking up and down the hall with a great pair of horn-rimmed spectacles clutched in his hand. He stopped short at the sound of the opening door and hurried towards them. There was nothing about his appearance in the least terrifying. He seemed, in fact, bubbling over with excited good-humour. “Isabel, my dear,” he exclaimed, “it is wonderful! I have succeeded! I have changed the principles of a lifetime, made the most brilliant optical experiment which any man of science has ever ventured to essay, with the result--well, you shall see. I have wired to the Admiralty, wired for more work-people. Captain Chalmers, is it not?” he went on. “You must tell your men to double and redouble their energies. This place is worth watching now. Come, I will show you something amazing.” He turned and led them hastily towards the back door. Isabel gripped Granet’s arm. “He thinks you are the officer in command of the platoon here,” she whispered. “Better let him go on thinking so.” Granet nodded. “Is he going to take us to the workshop?” “I believe so,” she assented.