Page:Edgar Jepson--the four philanthropists.djvu/280

270 came that afternoon to play bridge, and at once I invited him to join on the cruise.

"Next Saturday?" he said doubtfully, "I suppose I could be sure of being back on Monday night."

"Well, the sea is the sea," said I.

"Next week happens to be a very important week," he said, still doubtfully. "Who are going?"

"All of us—my sister, Kearsage, Bottiger and myself."

"It would be very nice," he said; and he sat down, lighted a cigarette and began to think hard.

I watched him, interested by the change in his face. As a rule his expression was gentle and even vacuous; now his face hardened, his lips set, and a very strong light of intelligence shone in his eyes. He said nothing for five minutes; then he smiled a very curious cunning smile: "I'll come," he said, "I shall be very pleased to." And his face was again serenely vacuous.

"That's all right," I said heartily; but I was a little startled by his smile. I wondered could he suspect anything; it was surely impossible.

I heard from Chelubai that he was working like a nigger to get the yacht ready, and on Wednesday I sent Bottiger down to help him. On the Friday evening Angel, I and Gutermann went down to Yarmouth, and we weighed anchor and started