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mother had a bag。 In two seconds the art of medicine occupied the
place left vacant in the attention of the company by the art of
music。
〃Rub it gently； Sammy；〃 said Mrs。 Pentecost。 〃I'll get out the
bottles and give you a dose。 It's his poor stomach； major。 Hold
my trumpet； somebodyand stop the boat。 You take that bottle；
Neelie； my dear； and you take this one； Mr。 Armadale； and give
them to me as I want them。 Ah； poor dear； I know what's the
matter with him！ Want of power _here；_ majorcold； acid； and
flabby。 Ginger to warm him； soda to correct him； sal volatile to
hold him up。 There； Sammy！ drink it before it settles； and then
go and lie down； my dear； in that dog…kennel of a place they call
the cabin。 No more music！〃 added Mrs。 Pentecost； shaking her
forefinger at the proprietor of the concertina〃unless it's a
hymn； and that I don't object to。〃
Nobody appearing to be in a fit frame of mind for singing a hymn；
the all…accomplished Pedgift drew upon his stores of local
knowledge； and produced a new idea。 The course of the boat was
immediately changed under his direction。 In a few minutes more；
the company found themselves in a little island creek； with a
lonely cottage at the far end of it； and a perfect forest of
reeds closing the view all round them。 〃What do you say； ladies
and gentlemen； to stepping on shore and seeing what a
reed…cutter's cottage looks like？〃 suggested young Pedgift。
〃We say yes； to be sure；〃 answered Allan。 〃I think our spirits
have been a little dashed by Mr。 Pentecos t's illness and Mrs。
Pentecost's bag；〃 he added； in a whisper to Miss Milroy。 〃A
change of this sort is the very thing we want to set us all going
again。〃
He and young Pedgift handed Miss Milroy out of the boat。 The
major followed。 Mrs。 Pentecost sat immovable as the Egyptian
Sphinx； with her bag on her knees； mounting guard over 〃Sammy〃 in
the cabin。
〃We must keep the fun going； sir；〃 said Allan； as he helped the
major over the side of the boat。 〃We haven't half done yet with
the enjoyment of the day。〃
His voice seconded his hearty belief in his own prediction to
such good purpose that even Mrs。 Pentecost heard him； and
ominously shook her head。
〃Ah！〃 sighed the curate's mother； 〃if you were as old as I am；
young gentleman； you wouldn't feel quite so sure of the enjoyment
of the day！〃
So； in rebuke of the rashness of youth； spoke the caution of age。
The negative view is notoriously the safe view； all the world
over； and the Pentecost philosophy is； as a necessary
consequence； generally in the right。
CHAPTER IX。
FATE OR CHANCE？
IT was close on six o'clock when Allan and his friends left the
boat； and the evening influence was creeping already； in its
mystery and its stillness； over the watery solitude of the
Broads。
The shore in these wild regions was not like the shore elsewhere。
Firm as it looked； the garden ground in front of the
reed…cutter's cottage was floating ground； that rose and fell and
oozed into puddles under the pressure of the foot。 The boatmen
who guided the visitors warned them to keep to the path； and
pointed through gaps in the reeds and pollards to grassy places；
on which strangers would have walked confidently； where the crust
of earth was not strong enough to bear the weight of a child over
the unfathomed depths of slime and water beneath。 The solitary
cottage； built of planks pitched black； stood on ground that had
been steadied and strengthened by resting it on piles。 A little
wooden tower rose at one end of the roof； and served as a lookout
post in the fowling season。 From this elevation the eye ranged
far and wide over a wilderness of winding water and lonesome
marsh。 If the reed…cutter had lost his boat； he would have been
as completely isolated from all communication with town or
village as if his place of abode had been a light…vessel instead
of a cottage。 Neither he nor his family complained of their
solitude； or looked in any way the rougher or the worse for it。
His wife received the visitors hospitably； in a snug little room；
with a raftered ceiling； and windows which looked like windows in
a cabin on board ship。 His wife's father told stories of the
famous days when the smugglers came up from the sea at night；
rowing through the net…work of rivers with muffled oars till they
gained the lonely Broads； and sank their spirit casks in the
water； far from the coast…guard's reach。 His wild little children
played at hide…and…seek with the visitors； and the visitors
ranged in and out of the cottage； and round and round the morsel
of firm earth on which it stood； surprised and delighted by the
novelty of all they saw。 The one person who noticed the advance
of the eveningthe one person who thought of the flying time and
the stationary Pentecosts in the boatwas young Pedgift。 That
experienced pilot of the Broads looked askance at his watch； and
drew Allan aside at the first opportunity。
〃I don't wish to hurry you； Mr。 Armadale；〃 said Pedgift Junior；
〃but the time is getting on； and there's a lady in the case。 〃
〃A lady？〃 repeated Allan。
〃Yes； sir；〃 rejoined young Pedgift。 〃A lady from London；
connected （if you'll allow me to jog your memory） with a
pony…chaise and white harness。〃
〃Good heavens； the governess！〃 cried Allan。 〃Why； we have
forgotten all about her！〃
〃Don't be alarmed； sir； there's plenty of time； if we only get
into the boat again。 This is how it stands； Mr。 Armadale。 We
settled； if you remember； to have the gypsy tea…making at the
next 'Broad' to thisHurle Mere？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Allan。 〃Hurle Mere is the place where my friend
Midwinter has promised to come and meet us。〃
〃Hurle Mere is where the governess will be； sir； if your coachman
follows my directions；〃 pursued young Pedgift。 〃We have got
nearly an hour's punting to do； along the twists and turns of the
narrow waters （which they call The Sounds here） between this and
Hurle Mere； and according to my calculations we must get on board
again in five minutes； if we are to be in time to meet the
governess and to meet your friend。〃
〃We mustn't miss my friend on any account；〃 said Allan； 〃or the
governess； either； of course。 I'll tell the major。〃
Major Milroy was at that moment preparing to mount the wooden
watch…tower of the cottage to see the view。 The ever useful
Pedgift volunteered to go up with him； and rattle off all the
necessary local explanations in half the time which the
reed…cutter would occupy in describing his own neighborhood to a
stranger。
Allan remained standing in front of the cottage； more quiet and
more thoughtful than usual。 His interview with young Pedgift had
brought his absent friend to his memory for the first time since
the picnic party had started。 He was surprised that Midwinter； so
much in his thoughts on all other occasions； should have been so
long out of his thoughts now。 Something troubled him； like a
sense of self…reproach； as his mind reverted to the faithful
friend at home； toiling hard over the steward's books； in his
interests and for his sake。 〃Dear old fellow；〃 thought Allan； 〃I
shall be so glad to see him at the Mere； the day's pleasure won't
be comple