Archie being no gentleman, he walked and I hobbled to the edge, and there we sat down while he took off his shoes.

“I should like to take this last opportunity,” I said, “of telling you that up till now I haven’t enjoyed this early morning bathe one little bit.  I suppose there will be a notable moment when the ecstasy actually begins, but at present I can’t see it coming at all.  The only thing I look forward to with any pleasure is the telling Dahlia and Myra at breakfast what I think of their cowardice.  That and the breakfast itself.  Good-bye.”

I got up and waded into the surf.

“One last word,” I said as I looked back at him.  “In my whole career I shall never know a more absolutely beastly and miserable moment than this.”  Then a wave knocked me down, and I saw that I had spoken too hastily.

The world may be divided into two classes—­those who drink when they swim and those who don’t.  I am one of the drinkers.  For this reason I prefer river bathing to sea bathing.

“It’s about time we came out,” I shouted to Archie after the third pint.  “I’m exceeding my allowance.”

“Aren’t you glad now you came?” he cried from the top of a wave.

“Very,” I said a moment later from inside it.

But I really did feel glad ten minutes afterwards as I sat on the beach in the sun and smoked a cigarette, and threw pebbles lazily into the sea.

“Holbein, how brave of you!” cried a voice behind me.

“Good-morning.  I’m not at all sure that I ought to speak to you.”

“Have you really been taking the sea so early,” said Myra as she sat down between us, “or did you rumple each other’s hair so as to deceive me?”

“I have been taking the sea,” I confessed.  “What you observe out there now is what I left.”

“Oh, but that’s what I do.  That’s why I didn’t come to-day—­because I had so much yesterday.”

“I’m a three-bottle man.  I can go on and on and on.  And after all these years I have the most sensitive palate of any man living.  For instance, I can distinguish between Scarborough and Llandudno quite easily with my eyes shut.  Speaking as an expert, I may say that there is nothing to beat a small Cromer and seltzer; though some prefer a Ventnor and dash.  Ilfracombe with a slice of lemon is popular, but hardly appeals to the fastidious.”

“Do you know,” said Archie, “that you are talking drivel?  Nobody ought to drivel before breakfast.  It isn’t decent.  What does Dahlia want to do to-day, Myra?”

“Mr Simpson is coming by the one-thirty.”

“Good; then we’ll have a slack day.  The strain of meeting Simpson will be sufficient for us.  I do hope he comes in a yachting cap—­we’ll send him back if he doesn’t.”

“I told him to bring one,” said Myra.  “I put a P.S. in Dahlia’s letter—­please bring your telescope and yachting cap.  She thought we could have a good day’s sailing to-morrow, if you’d kindly arrange about the wind.”