"I hope you haven't been waiting long." The hapless captain coughed loud and long.

He emerged from a large red pocket-handkerchief to find the eye of Miss Drewitt seeking his.
"That's all right, my lad," he said, huskily.

"I'd forgotten about our arrangement.

Did I say this Sunday or next ?" "This," said Mr.Tredgold, bluntly.
The captain coughed again, and with some pathos referred to the tricks which old age plays with memory.

As they walked on he regaled them with selected instances.
"Don't forget your leg, uncle," said Miss Drewitt, softly.
Captain Bowers gazed at her suspiciously.
"Don't forget that it's stiff and put too much strain on it," explained his niece.
The captain eyed her uneasily, but she was talking and laughing with Edward Tredgold in a most reassuring fashion.