"A certain amount of solitude," I observed, "is necessary for the
production of great literature."
George shrugged his shoulders.
"I suppose you are serious. Personally I should find it difficult to
imagine anything less enjoyable, or anything less conducive to work."
"I shan't be sailing all the time," I explained. "I shall make a
snug little base on Kerrin Island, and do my scribbling there."
"Kerrin Island!" repeated George incredulously. "Why, the place is
deserted. No one has been there for years."
"Yes, they have, George," I said. "I spent a fortnight there last
time I was home, and, what's more, I built myself a most superior
hut. Unless some of the fisher-boys have been monkeying around, it
ought to be as sound as ever. I took a lot of trouble over that hut."
At this point George, who had been consulting his watch, apparently
decided that I had wasted quite enough of his time for the present.
"Well, please yourself," he said, beckoning the waiter with a
peremptory wave of his hand. "So long as you go to Grendon I suppose
that's all we can expect. I shall hope to hear soon, however, that
you are adopting some really serious and permanent interest in life."
"If it should take the form of an heiress, George," I said, "I will
wire you at once without fail."
* * * * * * *
Exactly two days after this sporting promise I found myself in the
excellent company of the sea and the sky about three miles off the
land, near Inverness. I was not alone. Sitting in the bows of the
boat, and looking out with interest towards the approaching coast of
Kerrin Island, was the most disreputable rough-haired terrier puppy
that ever forced his society upon his betters. His name was Rufus,
and he had been presented to me by Donald Ross. Perhaps it would be
more accurate to say he had presented himself, and that Donald, with
the simple philosophy of his race, had merely acquiesced in the
arrangement. For from the moment that I had arrived at Strathmore,
Rufus had joyously but firmly adopted me as his new owner, and
nothing short of prussic acid would, I think have terminated the
engagement.
I must admit that I was glad of his society. Not that solitude had
any terrors for me, but still a dog undoubtedly lends it a certain
harmony that it otherwise lacks. One feels this more especially at
meal-times.
Anyhow, there we were, Rufus and I, quite contented with each other's
company, and thrusting our way merrily through the small white-capped
waves that rose and sank in the brisk off-shore breeze. Although
only a four-tonner, my little boat, the _Scandal_, was a rare
sea-going craft, and the faithful Donald had looked after her with
such honest care that the sails and rigging were as sound as on the
day when I laid her up.
Dressed in an old pair of grey flannel trousers and a still older
shirt, I must have cut almost as disreputable a figure as Rufus.
George would have had a fit on the spot if he could have seen me, but
I can't say that even this sombre reflection depressed me very much.
Stowed away in the locker I had a large hamper from Harrods', a
change of kit, a "Primus" stove, and a generous supply of baccy and
books; and if a man can't be happy for a week on an outfit like that,
all I can say is that I'm devilish sorry for him.
There are two places on the island where you can get a safe
anchorage, one a small sheltered bay on the further side, and the
other a kind of shallow estuary looking out towards Strathmore. I
decided on the latter as being the nearer, and steered the _Scandal_
towards the struggling growth of trees that half hid the entrance. I
struck the channel all right first shot, and, running up the cove,
came round head to wind and let down my anchor.
Rufus watched the proceedings with considerable interest. He
evidently realized we were going ashore; for the moment I hauled
alongside the tiny collapsible Berthon boat which we had been towing
behind us, he jumped in hurriedly with a little yelp of approval, and
sat down in the stern-sheets. Then he looked up at me and grinned.
I hesitated for a minute as to whether I should cart any of my stores
ashore at once; then I decided that it would be better to land first
and make certain that my hut was still in existence. Quite possibly
it had been spirited away in the interval by some enterprising
fisherman, and in that case I intended to make the tiny cabin of the
_Scandal_ my headquarters. I am not lazy, but there is a limit to
one's enthusiasm for single-handed house-building.
A very few strokes brought us to the shore, which at this point
consisted of a marshy stretch of saltings about twenty yards broad.
I tugged the boat up out of the water, and, preceded by Rufus, who
kept on looking round to see that there was not some dark plot to
maroon him, I picked my way from tuft to tuft towards the edge of the
wild, heather-covered down of which Kerrin Island is chiefly composed.
The whole place is only about half a mile wide, but one cannot see
the hut until one is almost up to it, as it stands on the further
side of the island under the shelter of some rising ground. I had
built it there purposely, so that it should be invisible from the
mainland.
Rufus reached it before I did. Rounding the base of the little hill,
and coming suddenly into full view of it, I found him lying on the
grass, contemplating his discovery with every symptom of surprised
approval.
"Yes, my son," I said, "you may well look awe-struck. That superb
edifice--" Then I stopped.
"Well, I'm hanged!" I added incredulously.
There, just to the right of the hut door, I had suddenly caught sight
of a wood fire, crackling and blazing away in the most cheerful and
unabashed fashion. I stared at it for a moment in amazement. Yes,
it was a wood fire all right. There could be no doubt about that.
And furthermore, sitting complacently amongst the flames, I perceived
a large black kettle, from the spout of which little jets of steam
were shooting up into the air.
"Rufus," I observed, "there is some cursed intruder here!"
Rufus looked thoughtfully at the kettle, and put his tongue out.
"Yes," I said sternly, "I've seen that, but if you imagine I am going
to sell my birthright for a mess of pottage you're mistaken. Tea or
no tea, out he comes!"
I strode across the intervening grass to the door of the hut, and
rapped loudly with my knuckles. The result was unexpected. I heard
a slight exclamation, accompanied almost simultaneously by the crash
of falling china. Then, very clearly and earnestly, a rather sweet
voice remarked "Damn!"
I turned to fly, but it was too late. There was a sound of quick
footsteps, the door opened abruptly, and I found myself confronted by
the prettiest girl I have ever seen in my life.
She was dressed in a short blue skirt, with a soft cream-coloured
shirt, open at the neck. From under a red tam-o'-shanter her dark
brown hair hung down her back in two long plaits, reaching just below
her waist. As for her face--well, I always think a beautiful face is
the most difficult thing to describe in the world, but if you can
picture a Madonna turned wood nymph, and delightfully sunburned at
that, you'll be somewhere around the mark.
For a moment her grey eyes contemplated me with calm surprise; then
her gaze travelled to Rufus, who promptly sat up and wagged his tail.
"That," I explained, "is his manner of apologizing."
She turned back to me, and her lips parted in a frank smile.
"I expect," she said, "that I ought to be apologizing instead. This
is not my island, as--as you probably know."
"It certainly isn't mine," I returned, "and you were here first."
"Very well," she said. "I'll accept the apology. After all, you've
made me break a plate."
"Your nerves must be splendid," I said. "I should have broken a
whole dinner-service."
She laughed cheerfully.
"It was silly of me to be startled, but somehow or other one doesn't
expect afternoon visitors here." Then she paused. "I don't know
whether you are a friend of the owner of the island," she added.
"Indeed, I'm afraid I don't even know who he is."
"His name," I said, "is George. We are slightly acquainted."
"And did he build this hut?"
"No," I said proudly; "I did that."
She looked a little embarrassed.
"I really must apologize then," she said. "I'm afraid I've been
making free with your property in the most unpardonable manner. I
thought it was a kind of desert island."
"So it was," I said, "before you came--a most hopeless desert." Then
I hesitated. "If you won't think me inquisitive," I went on, "may I
ask how you managed to get here?"
She smiled.
"The same way that you did, I expect. My boat's round the bend there
behind the trees." She pointed away to the left towards the small
bay which formed the island's other anchorage. "It's only a
three-tonner though," she added regretfully.