"That's all right," he said. "They were doing nothing in--where they were, and I thought I'd have them sent down here. I suppose I must get some one to exercise them?" Dick's eyes sparkled and his mouth stretched in an expressive grin. "Not much difficulty about that," he said. "For instance, I don't mind obliging you--as a favor." Mr. Vernon smiled. "I thought perhaps you might be so good," he said; and he added casually: "Anybody here who could be trusted to bring them from the station?" "I know a most trustworthy person; his name is Richard Lorton, and he will go for 'em in a brace of jiffs," said Dick. Mr. Vernon flicked a five-pound note across the table. "There may be some carriage. By the way, one of them is a lady's nag, and I fancy they may have sent a sidesaddle." Dick nodded and repeated the grin. "I can get them put up at Sandy's," he said. "Sandy used to keep some stables going for post horses before the coach ran to Hartland, you know. I've got your horse there. Oh, they'll be all right. You trust to me." "I do," said Mr. Vernon. "One moment," as Dick was rushing out to put on his well-worn riding suit. "I don't think I'd say anything about--the sidesaddle to Miss Lorton--yet." Once again Dick nodded--a nod so full of comprehension as to be almost supernal. Mr. Vernon went upstairs, and, with Molly's assistance, unpacked the huge portmanteau, and, when she had got out of the room, examined the contents. Strangely enough, the linen was all new and unmarked. Only on the silver fittings of the dressing case were a monogram--in which the initial "S" was decipherable--and a coronet. "Sparling's an idiot!" Vernon muttered. "Why didn't he buy a new case? I shall have to keep this locked." When he came down again, having changed into a blue serge suit, Nell was in the drawing-room, arranging some flowers, and she looked up with a smile of recognition at his altered appearance. "Your box has arrived, I see," she said, with the frankness of--well, Shorne Mills. "You must be glad. And where has Dick dashed off to? He nearly knocked me down in his hurry." "To Shallop," he said. "I had a couple of horses sent down." "But you couldn't ride, with your arm in a sling; and you've a horse here already." "Don't suppose it's fit to ride yet," he said, "and I'm not going to carry a sling forever. Besides, they were eating their heads off--where they were." He said nothing about the sidesaddle. "I see. Well, I'm sorry Dick's gone this morning, for I wanted him to come out in the boat. It's a good day for mackerel." She looked wistfully at the sea shining below them. "Of course I could go by myself, but I promised Mr. Gadsby that I wouldn't." "Who's Mr. Gadsby?"