Elsa said she was quite certain they would all notice like anything, especially Mrs. Hunter whom she saw bearing down upon them. Captain Hornby at once tacked to the opposite side of the street, cruised along in front of the newsagent and stationer’s shop and the old furniture shop, put his helm hard over and had Elsa safely back on their own side of the road again before Mrs. Hunter could turn her prow for a stern chase. This masterly piece of manœuvring brought them up under the lee of Dowlah Cottage, so they went in, while Mrs. Hunter went on her way morally certain that there was something between Miss Belton and that good-looking naval man.
Mrs. Hoare was polishing some of Aunt Janet’s silver in washleather gloves and delighted to see them. Elsa said she hoped they hadn’t come at an
