Page:Frank Stockton - Rudder Grange.djvu/32

Rh upon deck. In an instant I reached the top of the stairs, and in another instant I rushed below.

There sat my wife and our boarder, one on each side of the dining-room table, complacently playing checkers!

My sudden entrance startled them.

My appearance startled them still more.

Euphemia sprang to her feet and tottered toward me.

"Mercy! " she exclaimed. "Has anything happened?"

"Happened!" I gasped.

"Look here!" cried the boarder, clutching me by the arm, "what a condition you're in! Did you fall in?"

"Fall in! "said I.

Euphemia and the boarder looked at each other. I looked at them. Then I opened my mouth in earnest.

"I suppose you don't know," I yelled, "that you have drifted away!"

"By George!" cried the boarder, and in two bounds he was on deck.

Dirty as I was, Euphemia fell into my arms. I told her all. She hadn't known a bit of it!

The boat had so gently drifted off, and had so gently grounded among the reeds, that the voyage had never so much as disturbed their games of checkers.

"He plays such a splendid game," Euphemia sobbed, "and just as you came I thought I was going to beat him. I had two kings and two pieces on the next to last row, and you are nearly drowned. You'll get your death of cold—and—and he had only one king."