e
blustered.

Isabelle rolled on her back and smiled faintly at the sky.

"Ye ought to be spanked, ye little devil."

"Some people are good at calling names," she remarked to the sky.

"I'm tellin' ye it's dangerous for you to start off for that far raft
alone."

"Well, I'm asking you what business it is of yours?"

"Do ye want me to stand by and see ye drown yerself?"

"It's my privilege to drown myself if I like," she replied, as she
struck off for the raft again. They swam to it in silence, and she
pulled her slim satin body, like a shining eel, up onto the platform. He
followed.

"You're a very disturbin' young person!" he said, sternly.

She lifted her eyebrows at him, with a baby stare. He looked away with a
frown.

"Where is 'Paula! ever young and ever fair'?" she inquired. "Is she
displaying herself on the beach?"

He grinned.

"Not she. Paula is a very clever woman--she knows her own limitations,"
he replied. "Hello! here comes somebody."

It proved to be Major O'Dell, the man who had looked after Larry on
shipboard. He glared at them and climbed aboard the raft.

"Larry, ye fool, what do ye mean by takin' such a swim as this on yer
first day?" he demanded, hotly.

"I came to rescue this young mermaid," he answered.

"It's damfoolishness--that's what it is. I beg yer pardon, Miss--Miss----"

"Bryce" from Larry.

"This man is here convalescing, and it is folly for him to over-exert
himself in any such manner," he scolded her.

"I didn't invite him to come," said she. "He forced his society on me.
Now that you're here to tow him in, I'll leave him to you," she added;
and with that she dived off.

"Wait a minute. Major O'Dell wants to rest," cried the Captain.

"Let him. Let him rest a month," came back the answer, as the shining
head turned toward the distant shore.

"I've got to go after her, O'Dell. It isn't safe," protested Larry.

"Who appointed you her nurse?"

"Damn it! man, the child might drown."

He went overboard and started after Isabelle. O'Dell, with a
far-from-pretty word, followed. In some such procession they finally
arrived at the beach. Isabelle stepped forth, shook her slim black
self, ran up the beach and back like a colt, and joined Miss Watts,
sedate as a debutante. Captain O'Leary approached them.

"Miss Watts," said he, "it is none of my affair, of course, but if you
have any authority over this young woman, you will forbid her to swim
alone to the farthe