It was with a shock of surprise, therefore, that on passing the gate he found Mrs Bosenna close within, engaged in talk with two rosy-faced farmers; and, moreover, it brought a rush of blood to his face, for he had neither seen her nor heard from her since the fatal morning.  There was, however, no way of retreat, and he stepped wide to avoid the group, lifting his hat awkwardly as he passed, not daring to meet the lady’s eyes.

“Captain Hocken!” she called cheerfully.

“Ma’am?” Cai halted in confusion.

“Come here for a moment—­that is, if it doesn’t interrupt your duties—­ and be introduced to our two ploughing judges.  Mr Widger of Callington, Mr Sam Nicholls of St Neot—­Captain Hocken.”  Cai’s cheeks in rosiness emulated those of the two men with whom he shook hands.  “Captain Hocken,” she explained to them, “takes a great interest in education.”

For a moment it struck Cai that the pair, on hearing this, eyed him suspiciously; but his brain was in a whirl, and he might easily have been mistaken.

“Not at all,” he stammered; “that is, I mean—­I am new to this business, you see.”

“You are a practical man, I hope, sir?’ asked Mr Nicholls.

“I—­I’ve spent the most part of my life at sea, if you’d count that bein’ practical,” said Cai modestly.

“To be sure I do,” Mr Nicholls assented.  “It’s as practical as farmin’, almost.”

“In a manner o’ speakin’ it is,” agreed Mr Widger grudgingly.  “Men haven’t all the same gifts.  Now you’ll hardly believe what happened to me the only time I ever took a sea trip.”

“No?” politely queried Cai.

“I was sick,” said Mr Widger, in a tone of vast reminiscent surprise.

“It does happen sometimes.”

“Yes,” repeated Mr Widger, “sick I was.  It took place in Plymouth Sound:  and you don’t catch me tryin’ the sea again.”

“Now what,” inquired Mr Nicholls, “might be your opinion about Labour Exemption Certificates, Captain Hocken?”

Cai was gravelled.  His alleged interest in education had not as yet extended to a study of the subject.

Mrs Bosenna came to the rescue.  Talk about education (she protested) was the last thing she could abide.  Before the ploughing began she wanted to show Captain Hocken some work the hedgers had been doing at the lower end of the field.

At that moment, too, the local secretary came running with word that the first teams were already harnessed, and awaited the judges’ preliminary inspection.  Mr Widger and Mr Nicholls made their excuses, therefore, and hurried off to their duties.

“I have a bone to pick with you,” said Mrs Bosenna, as she and Cai took their way leisurably across the field.

Cai groaned at thought of those unhappy letters.

But Mrs Bosenna made no allusion to the letters.

“You have not been near Rilla for weeks,” she went on, reproachfully.