"
The sail came slowly down. Major Kent and Meldon leaned across the
gaff and dragged at the folds of it. Callaghan hailed the yacht from
the shore.
"Hold on," said Meldon. "Keep what you've got to say till I come to
you. I can't have the details of an interesting love affair shouted
across a stretch of water."
The sails were made up and the yacht safely moored. Meldon hustled
Major Kent into the punt, and pulled rapidly for the beach. The punt's
keel grated on the gravel. Meldon seized the painter in his hand and
leaped ashore.
"Now," he said to Callaghan, "trot out your news. Have they got
engaged?"
"They have not," said Callaghan.
"Then I suppose there must have been what you call impropriety of
conduct. If so--"
"There has not," said Callaghan.
"That's just as well; for if there had been, I should have had to ask
you to wait before giving me details until the Major had gone a good
bit of the way home. He's an unmarried man, and I don't think it would
be good for him to--"
"There was no impropriety of conduct that I seen," said Callaghan.
"Well, it can't be helped. I should have been glad, of course, to hear
that Simpkins had been pushing his way on a bit, holding her hand or
something of that kind.
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