He forgot prudence and common-sense, and that being what a lover usually does, he can hardly be blamed for it.
Bump! Down came the air-castle.

Home, fireside, and the slate-colored eyes dissolved into a wooden wharf.

The dream was over.
"Bear a hand here with these lunch-baskets, chum," called Watts.

"Make yourself useful as well as ornamental." And so Peter's solitary tramp ceased, and he was helping lunch-baskets and ladies to the wharf.
But the tramp had brought results which were quickly to manifest themselves.

As the party paired off for the walk to the Shrubberies, both Watts and Peter joined Miss Pierce, which was not at all to Peter's liking.
"Go on with the rest, Watts," said Peter quietly.
Miss Pierce and Watts both stopped short in surprise.
"Eh ?" said the latter.
"You join the rest of the party on ahead," said Peter.
"I don't understand," said Watts, who could hardly have been more surprised if Peter had told him to drown himself.
"I want to say something to Miss Pierce," explained Peter.
Watts caught his breath.