"
"I was up at the Major's house searching for you," said Callaghan, "and
when you weren't within I took a look round and I seen the yacht coming
in on the tide, so I thought it would save me a journey to-morrow if I
waited for you."
"Quite right," said Meldon. "It's not your fault nothing has happened,
and I don't blame you in the least. Good-night."
Callaghan shambled off along the beach. The Major and Meldon, who
carried the punt's oars, struck across the fields towards Portsmouth
Lodge.
"I can't understand it at all," said Meldon. "After what I said to
Simpkins I simply can't understand his neglecting his opportunities
like this. You'd think from the way he's behaving that he doesn't want
to be married at all."
"Perhaps he doesn't," said the Major. "Any way, you can do no more
than you've done. You may as well drop it now, and have the rest of
your holiday in peace."
"The fact is," said Meldon, "I ought not to have gone away and left
them. I had no business to take that cruise in the _Spindrift_. If
I'd been here--"
"I don't see what you could have done. If the fellow doesn't want the
girl, how could you force him to go and marry her? Any way, it's a
good job for Miss King that he hasn't.
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