HARK FORRARD! 163 



' Will you entrust yourself to my pilotage, 

 Miss Lancelot ? ' said he. 



Now, if Acton or either of the other men had 

 made her the same offer, she would most pro- 

 bably have cheerfully accepted, but, goodness 

 knows why it was, yet it is an undoubted fact 

 that she did not by any means jump at his offer. 

 Her mother, however, opportunely came to the 

 rescue and said, ' Well, my dear Lina, as you 

 have but little faith in Mr. Miller as an 

 oarsman I shall be only too delighted to avail 

 myself of his kind offer, that is, if he will 

 condescend to row an old woman up the river.' 



'That, indeed, I shall be charmed to do,' 

 said he ; and as a matter of fact he spoke the 

 truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the 

 truth, as he there and then made up his mind 

 to enlist Mrs. Lancelot's good offices on his 

 side. 



Suffice it to say that ere they had reached 

 Teddington Lock, Reginald had laid bare his 

 heart to her, and in return had gained her con- 

 sent to his trying his luck with her daughter ; 



M 2 



