My mother gripped me on the instant.
"Hugh!" she exclaimed.

"What are you doing here, and what does all this mean?
Such a fright as you've given us! What's the meaning of it ?" I was so taken aback, having been certain that Carstairs would have gone home and told them I was accidentally drowned, that all I could do was to stare from one to the other.

As for Maisie, she only looked wonderingly at me; as for Mr.Lindsey, he gazed at me as scrutinizingly as my mother was doing.
"Aye!" said he, "what's the meaning of it, young man?
We've done your bidding and more--but--why ?" I found my tongue at that.
"What!" I exclaimed.

"Haven't you seen Sir Gilbert Carstairs?
Didn't you hear from him that--" "We know nothing about Sir Gilbert Carstairs," he interrupted.

"The fact is, my lad, that until your wire arrived this afternoon, nobody had even heard of you and Sir Gilbert Carstairs since you went off in his yacht yesterday.