As he passed the mountain he saluted a party of ladies and gentlemen standing on the shore.

One of the gentlemen hailed him in German with the request to slack up a little and they would come off in a boat.

Paul complied with their request and stood upright in the water and drifted quietly along.

The boat was soon beside him: it contained two ladies, evidently mother and daughter, and two gentlemen.

The daughter, about eighteen years of age, was, in Paul's estimation, the most lovely girl he had ever seen.