18 THE SHIPWRECK,

over land requires time, and, before their return, Philip,
probably fatigued with his amusement, directed the Ariel
towards a remote part of the lake, and landed behind some
bushes that hid the boat from the sight of its owner. He
walked across the park at his leisure, and was snugly
seated in his father’s cottage before Charles discovered the
-place in which he had left her.

Burning with rage, he returned to breakfast, and al-
though he had hitherto, for some reason best known to
himself, concealed his hatred towards Philip Merville from
his father, his ungovernable resentment now compelled
him to disclose it. He informed the marquis of all the
outrages practised upon him by Philip, adding that the
origin of their quarrel was owing to Philip’s poaching pro-
pensities, which he had endeavoured in vain to coun-
teract.

The marquis was a kind and humane man; but the
complaints of the young count greatly exasperated him.
He was not disposed to suffer a young vagabond to poach
on and skulk about his lands with impunity, and seize
upon every opportunity of meeting and insulting his own
son, and finally go so far as to make a brutal attack upon
him in his own park,