before.She thought the young ones did not want Miss Chance to go--they certainly did not, but the reasons put forward were strictly facts. She was sweet and sympathetic, but her mind was made up. 
"Please make it as nice and easy for her as possible, dear children," she said; "I depend on you, Crow; after all she has never yet been on the yacht." There was no more to be said of course. Christobel gave way without another word. Adrian was silent, but when they were saying "good-night" he suggested quite amiably: 
"We’ll give the Floweret as good a time as we know how, Mum, and by the way, it’s only fair to remember it isn’t our fault she’s never been out in the Messenger--she’s always been away in the holidays when we did all the sailing--and Sir Marmaduke was here." 
Mrs. Romilly protested that she knew all this. The yawl had never been at their service in term-time before--Adrian being absent. 
"Perhaps this is the beginning of good times," she said; "perhaps she will make a first-rate sailor." 
Brother and sister looked at each other speechless when they got outside. Then Crow whispered: 
"Are we downhearted?" and sped away to her room, head turned over her shoulder with her lips forming a very decided "No--o--o." 
Adrian stood at his window presently looking out at the sweet breathless night. There was no air, the stars were clear. "If it’s a calm she’ll be sick," he thought, "poor old Blossom"--and peace descended on his soul. 
So the matter was settled, and, in order to give Miss Chance time for her shopping, the young Romillys went by an earlier train from Five Trees. They did not mind that at all. Adrian wanted to get to his beloved Messenger--the sooner the better. 
The party consisted of four--because Hughie was included. Pamela simply declined. She wouldn’t say why or wherefore. She looked at the others during breakfast remarking that four was an even number. 
"All agog to dash through thick and thin," she murmured, "Crow can shop with Miss Chance and Hughie can go with Addie to the yawl. Three people jostling each other in front of shop windows is never comfortable, and I hate sitting on a hot deck at anchor. Home is nicer." 
They all went off gaily, Miss Chance carrying a string bag besides her bag-purse, to Crow’s annoyance. She could not bear "walking with a string bag," she said. However Miss Chance could not be parted from it. The necessary food was to be bought in Salterne, and they were to start back after lunch, and come home with the tide. 
It sounded perfectly charming, not a hitch. Mrs. Romilly was well pleased. She and Pamela had lunch together, and the peace of the house was balm. The day held fine--very fine. About two o’clock there was about as much air as you would expect under a vacuum bell. 
Pamela called her 

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