Fessenden joined the others at Sandywood while they were still lingering
over coffee in the library. His belated appearance, casual and
unconcerned as he endeavored to make it seem, was greeted with a storm
of badinage.
"Oh, my prophetic soul! You were becalmed sure enough."
"Does the poor boy want a bite to eat?"
"We were just organizing a relief expedition for you, old man."
"What a lonely time you must have had of it, Mr. Fessenden!" This last
thrust was from no less a person than Miss Yarnell. He gave her a broad
smile in return.
He allowed the others to believe what they would, explaining only that
he had been compelled to leave the _Will-o'-the-Wisp_ in Piney Cove.
Cresap promised to send his man up to bring her back to the
landing-stage.
[Illustration: "I'M AFRAID YOU'LL FIND THE CABIN-DOOR CATCH IS BROKEN,"
SAID MADGE YARNELL IN AN UNDERTONE]
"I'm afraid you'll find the cabin-door catch is broken," said Madge
Yarnell in an undertone, as she halted near Fessenden on her way to bed.
"If I hadn't been sure you'd smashed through easily enough, I should
have come back to the sloop and sailed away with you."
"With me?"
"Certainly--made you captive like an old buccaneer. Willy-nilly, I
should have clapped you under hatches, and sailed for the Spanish Main."
Her brooding eyes dwelt long upon him. "That's very interesting." She
struck her hands softly together. "It's worth thinking about. Thank you
for the suggestion, Mr. Fessenden."
"I'm not sure I understand."
"Of course you don't. You're only a man."
In the morning, although he was not down for breakfast until nine
o'clock, he was ahead of any of the others. One of the servants handed
him a telegram. He read it with amusement over Betty's cleverness.
THOMAS FESSENDEN,
Sandywood, Polocoke County, Maryland.
Meet me Club one o'clock. Important personal matter. Want your
advice. Don't fail me.