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The Gauntlet received orders immediately to go into harbour, and scarcely had she picked up her moorings, than a note from Admiral Triton came on board, begging Jack to come to Southsea as soon as possible, as his sister and Mrs Murray were anxious to see him. Jack and Adair escorted Colonel Giffard and his daughter to The George, where leaving them, they hurried on to the admiral's house.
She must have an answer to that question. She saw them descend the bank towards the boat, and, stepping from her window, ran. Thus it happened that as Willoughby rose from loosening the painter, he saw Mrs. Adair's disappointed eyes gazing into his. Mrs. Adair called to Ethne, who stood by Captain Willoughby, and came down the bank to them.
Adair and his brother midshipmen apologised for the behaviour of their companion, but he assured them that he would not have missed the fun on any account, and that his wig was not a bit the worse for having been worn by the monkey. After dinner they strolled out to see a monkey bread-tree, the baobab, a huge monster which Mr Wilkie asserted was three or four thousand years old.
Margaret flushed a little, and turned aside to give her mother's poodle a sweet biscuit. "Sir Philip is a kind, good fellow," said Mr. Adair, who had not been admitted behind the scenes; "and I am sure that he will do what he can. Do you know his mother yet? No? Ah, she's like an antique chatelaine: one of the stateliest, handsomest old ladies of the day. Is she not, Caroline?"
"Will you play for us against the Old Sedleighans tomorrow?" he said at length. Mike tossed his pads into his bag and got up. "No, thanks." There was a silence. "Above it, I suppose?" "Not a bit. Not up to it. I shall want a lot of coaching at that end net of yours before I'm fit to play for Sedleigh." There was another pause. "Then you won't play?" asked Adair.
"What is your second item?" "As good as the first. I go out on General Graham's staff." Mrs. Adair was silent. There came a look of anxiety into her eyes, and the colour died out of her face. "You are very glad, I suppose," she said slowly. Durrance's voice left her in no doubt. "I should think I was. I go soon, too, and the sooner the better.
Then he was going on to say that trite thing about the smallness of the world when Adair broke in. "I'd like to know what is keeping Uncle Sidney and Alicia. I haven't had breakfast yet." As if his protest had evoked her, a young woman drew the portière of the vestibule a young woman with bright brown hair, eyes like dewy wood violets, and an adorable chin.
Under such chaotic conditions Ford took his seat in the mean little office over the freight station, and flung himself ardently into the task of bringing order out of the sudden confusion. Effectively to support Adair and the reconstructionists on the board it was critically necessary that there be immediate and cheering news from the front.
Margaret Adair looked up and smiled at her from a corner, when Janetta first came forward to sing. She was one of the very few girls who were present, for most of the young people were in the garden; but she had insisted on coming in to hear Janetta's song.
They were not long, however, allowed to lead so pleasant a life on shore. Adair sent off one of the boats across the channel to the mainland to be in readiness to pounce down on any dhows creeping up on that side, while he himself went away in the pinnace to the southward, accompanied by Gerald and Archie, leaving Jos Green in command of the island.
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