the
main body.

Sec. 4

Even into the blackest days there generally creeps an occasional ray of
sunshine, and there are few crises of human gloom which are not
lightened by a bit of luck. It was so with Mr. Bennett in his hour of
travail. There were lobsters for lunch, and his passion for lobsters had
made him the talk of three New York clubs. He was feeling a little
happier when Billie came in to see how he was getting on.

"Hullo, father. Had a nice lunch?"

"Yes," said Mr. Bennett, cheering up a little at the recollection.
"There was nothing wrong with the lunch."

How little we fallible mortals know! Even as he spoke, a tiny fragment
of lobster shell, which had been working its way silently into the tip
of his tongue, was settling down under the skin and getting ready to
cause him the most acute mental distress which he had ever known.

"The lunch," said Mr. Bennett, "was excellent. Lobsters!" He licked his
lips appreciatively.

"And, talking of lobsters," he went on, "I suppose that boy Bream has
told you that I have broken off your engagement?"

"Yes."

"You don't seem very upset," said Mr. Bennett, who was in the mood for a
dramatic scene and felt a little disappointed.

"Oh, I've become a fatalist on the subject of my engagements."

"I don't understand you."

"Well, I mean, they never seem to come to anything." Billie gazed
wistfully at the counterpane. "Do you know, father, I'm beginning to
think that I'm rather impulsive. I wish I didn't do silly things in such
a hurry."

"I don't see where the hurry comes in as regards that Mortimer boy. You
took ten years to make up your mind."

"I was not thinking of Bream. Another man."

"Great Heavens! Are you still imagining yourself in love with young
Hignett?"

"Oh, no! I can see now that I was never in love with poor Eustace. I was
thinking of a man I got engaged to on the boat!"

Mr. Bennett sat bolt upright in bed, and stared incredulously at his
surprising daughter. His head was beginning to swim.

"Of course I've misunderstood you," he said. "There's a catch somewhere
and I haven't seen it. But for a moment you gave me the impression that
you had promised to marry some man on the boat!"

"I did!"

"But...!" Mr. Bennett was doing sums on his fingers. "Do you mean to
tell me," he demanded, having brought out the answer to his
satisfaction, "do you mean to tell me that you have been engaged to
three men in three weeks?"

"Yes," said B