Part 15 (2/2)
”An antiquated barge!” Rankine laughed. ”Well, she makes a handy surveying craft, and the sea lords have lent me to the hydrographic department. Rather a come down just now; but somebody must keep the charts up to date.”
Andrew felt puzzled. Rankine had a capable look, and, being young, was no doubt ambitious. It was curious that he should be satisfied with the monotonous task of taking soundings, when the battles.h.i.+ps were watching for the enemy's fleet. He looked at Rankine keenly; but the young lieutenant merely smiled back at him in a quizzical manner and began to speak of shoals and tides.
Madge slipped off to join her brother.
”What do you think of my partner?” Whitney asked her. ”Are you still pleased with him?”
”Entirely so; he improves, which doesn't often happen. In fact, he's fine, if you get what I mean.”
”Well, I imagine Andrew's unique, but that doesn't quite hit it.
Suppose we say rare, in its old English sense. Anyhow, though I don't know that he's very susceptible, I'd rather you didn't turn his head.
You are attractive when you exert yourself.”
Madge laughed.
”He's proof against my charms. Andrew's earmarked for somebody else.”
”Elsie Woodhouse? Well, that struck me, but I don't know. He says it's very probable that she'll marry d.i.c.k.”
”Andrew is in love with her himself,” Madge said firmly; ”though I don't think he knows it yet. d.i.c.k's delightful, but the girl would never be satisfied with him.”
”So I think; but you don't know her.”
”Your partner has told me about her.”
Whitney laughed.
”Andrew has his talents, but the delineation of character's not his strong point.”
”A precise description isn't always needed,” Madge rejoined. ”When you have an image clearly stamped upon your mind, it's sometimes possible to make others see it without saying very much. Your partner can do that.”
”Perhaps you're right. He has now an idea that his country's somehow threatened from the old main road to the south. On the face of it, the idea's absurd, and yet he makes one feel that he's not quite mistaken.”
Madge indicated Rankine, who was still talking to Andrew.
”I wonder why they sent that man to a post where ability doesn't seem to be required?” she questioned.
”It's possible that Rankine's job is more important than he's allowed to admit.”
He broke off, for Rankine was coming toward them, and he saw his sister's face flush prettily.
CHAPTER XI
THE SIGNAL
A light breeze was blowing when the _Rowan_ ran into a confused tide eddy in the mouth of Wigtown Bay. There had been more wind and the swell it left was broken by the current into short, splas.h.i.+ng seas amid which the yacht lurched uneasily. It was four o'clock in the afternoon and about two hours before high-water, and when the breeze fell very light a stream that ran north from the disturbed patch swept the _Rowan_ up the bay.
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