Weariness and discouragement inclined him to be somewhat reckless and brusque in his words and manner.  Under the compulsion of circumstances she who would never graciously accord him opportunities must now be alone with him; but as a gentleman, he could not take advantage of her helplessness, to plead his cause, and he felt a sort of rage that he should be mocked with an apparent chance which was in fact no chance at all.

His boat stranded several yards from the shore.  Throwing down his oars, he rose and faced her.  Was it the last rays of the setting sun which made her face so rosy, or was it embarrassment?

“I’m in a dilemma, Mr. Scofield,” Miss Madison began hesitatingly.

“And you would rather be in your boat,” he added.

“That would not help me any, seeing where my boat is.  I have done such a stupid thing!  I stole away here to finish a book, and—­ well—­I didn’t notice that the tide was running out.  I’m sure I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Scofield put his shoulder to an oar and tried to push his craft to what deserved the name of shore, but could make little headway.  He was glad to learn by the effort, however, that the black mud was not unfathomable in depth.  Hastily reversing his action, he began pushing his boat back in the water.

“Surely, Mr. Scofield, you do not intend to leave me,” began Miss Madison.

“Surely not,” he replied; “but then, since you are so averse to my company, I must make sure that my boat does not become as fast as yours on this ebb-tide, otherwise we should both have to wait till the flood.”

“Oh, beg pardon!  I now understand.  But how can you reach me?”

“Wade,” he replied coolly, proceeding to take off his shoes and stockings.

“What! through that horrid black mud?”

“I couldn’t leap that distance, Miss Madison.”

“It’s too bad!  I’m so provoked with myself!  The mud may be very deep, or there may be a quicksand or something.”

“In which case I should merely disappear a little earlier;” and he sprang overboard up to his knees, dragged the boat till it was sufficiently fast in the ooze to be stationary, then he waded ashore.

“Well,” she said with a little deprecatory laugh, “it’s a comfort not to be alone on a desert island.”

“Indeed!  Can I be welcome under any circumstances?”

“Truly, Mr. Scofield, you know that you were never more welcome.  It’s very kind of you.”

“Any man would be glad to come to your aid.  It is merely your misfortune that I happen to be the one.”

“I’m not sure that I regard it as a very great misfortune.  You proved in the case of that little boy that you can act very energetically.”

“And get lectured for my intemperate zeal.  Well, Miss Madison, I cannot make a very pleasing spectacle with blackamoor legs, and it’s time I put my superfluous energy to some use.  Suppose you get in your boat, and I’ll try to push it off”