\"Victor！\"cautionedMissColton。
\"Hush，Mabel！Thisisridiculous。YouandIsawtwoboatsgostraightoutfromthebeachthismorning。Wewentoutthatwayourselves。Hereyou——Paine，orwhateveryournameis——we’vehadenoughofthis。I’vehiredyoutotakeusashore，andIwanttogothereandnotahalfmileinanotherdirection。WillyoudoasI
tellyou？\"
Whenthedingyandtheotherboatscrossedtheflatthetidehadbeenhourshigher，ofcourse；butIwasinnomoodtoexplain——tohim。
\"No，\"Isaid，shortly。