"Has he left us to our fate?" asked Merle indignantly.
"Gone to get somebody else, perhaps!" ventured Edith more hopefully.
She proved correct, for after another eternity of time an old man hobbled
on to the wharf, unlocked a boat-house, and slowly took out a punt, by
means of which he reached the ferry-boat, climbed in, and worked it
across the river to the farther bank.
"Why didn't 'ee fasten up the chain?" he asked; but as he was almost
stone-deaf he did not understand either their excuses or professions of
gratitude, and simply motioned to them to enter.
Arriving back on the wharf the girls, after subscribing a shilling
amongst them to reward their rescuer, hurried up to the churchyard,
where, of course, there was no sign of their party, then started as fast
as they could to walk along the high road. They had gone perhaps half a
mile when they heard a warning hoot behind them, and, looking round, what
should Merle see but the little Deemster car with Dr. Tremayne at the
driving-wheel.
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