“We must not say a word to Judy yet.  In fact I don’t know whether we ought to tell the Judge.  We musn’t raise false hopes.”

“Have you ever seen Captain Jameson?”

“We were at college together,” said Dr. Grennell; “that is the way I happened to come to Fairfax.  I got my appointment to this church through Captain Jameson and his father.”

“Then couldn’t you go on and see if he is really Judy’s father?”

“By George,” said the doctor, “of course I can.  I can make the excuse that I want to visit my old friends.  I need an outing, too.”

“I wish I could go with you,” said Launcelot, wistfully, as the two walked down the road, after having perfected plans for the doctor’s trip.  “I am getting awfully tired of this place, doctor.  You see my life abroad was so different, and I feel as if I ought to be doing something worth while.”

“Just now the thing that is worth while is for you to be a good son and stay here,” said Dr. Grennell.  “You can be nothing greater than that.  And you are doing it like a hero,” and his hand dropped affectionately on the boy’s shoulder.

“Well, it’s deadly dull,” said the hero resignedly, as he thought of Anne and Judy speeding away to the coolness of the sea.  But presently he cheered up.  “It will be great if it does happen to be Captain Jameson,” he said, “and just think if Judy hadn’t run away we wouldn’t have seen her coin, and if I had waited that morning she wouldn’t have run away, and if I hadn’t been cross I would have waited—­how about that for a moral, Doctor.”

“There is no moral,” said the minister, “but all bad tempers don’t turn out so well.”

“It sounds like,

  “’Fire, fire burn stick,
  Stick, stick beat dog,
  Dog, dog bite pig—­’

doesn’t it?” said Launcelot with a laugh, as they parted at the crossroads.

CHAPTER XVI

THE WIND AND THE WAVES

It was dark and raining when the travellers reached The Breakers, but a light streamed out from the doorway, and Mrs. Adams, the caretaker, met them on the step.

“I couldn’t get any maids to help me,” she explained to the Judge, as she led the way in, “but my sister is coming over in the morning, and Jim will build the fires—­and I’ve set out supper in the hall.”

“That’s all right, Mrs. Adams,” said the Judge, heartily, “Perkins will serve us, and you needn’t stay up.  I know you are tired after hurrying to get the house ready for us.”

“Being tired ain’t nothin’ so that things suits,” said Mrs. Adams, with an awed glance at the expert Perkins, who having relieved the Judge of his hat and raincoat was carrying the bags up-stairs under the guidance of Mr. Adams.

“Everything is just right, Mrs. Adams,” said Judy, with eyes aglow.  “I am so glad you set the supper-table in front of the big fireplace—­we used to sit here so often.”