m.

"Not wast'n' yo' words," said the inquirer.

"No."

"A short answer turneth away wrath, I s'pose."

"It turneth away discussion o' ladies' gownds."

"Lard! I don't discuss 'em to excess. Noticed hern--its upper works--an'
a flounce or two--an' sort o' wondered as to the rest of it, how much
water it's a-drawin'. Anything li-bell-ious about that?"

"No, considerin' the source."

Ned slipped from the bench to go, but Watson looked back with a light
beckon of the head and he turned to the wheel. Thence he glanced down
over the breast-board, over the forward eaves of the texas, down to the
skylight roof and upon several persons. First, the boat's commander. He
was leaving his seat at the approach, from the head of a boiler-deck
stair, of Madame Hayle and the doctor. On the skylight roof, near the
bell, were the two players, just greeting Hugh as from the other side he
reached the deck and stepped up to their level. On the same roof, midway
between these and the front of the texas, were the squire's sister and
her husband returning from their search for shade. And lastly, close
after them, came Ramsey, a source of general astonishment. For the gown
she was in and whose lower possibilities had aroused Ned's avowed and
Watson's concealed interest was her mother's and swept the deck.

Madame Hayle grew more beautiful as with a play of indignation which
wholly failed to disguise her pleasure she cried: "By what
_per_-mission? by what _per_-mission have you pud--my--clothes?"

The girl would have flown to her arms but the doctor forbade, and for
second choice she set up a dainty tripping to and fro athwartships;
dipping, rising, skipping, swaying, bridling, like a mocking-bird on a
garden wall. It made Ned and Watson themselves worth seeing.
Professional dignity set their faces like granite though every vein
seethed with a riot of laughter. But the laughter's chief cause was not
Ramsey.

"Look at Hugh," muttered Watson, gently drawing down the wheel for the
_Votaress_ to sweep round into a northward reach at whose head Natchez
Island would presently show itself. To look at Hugh took nerve, but in a
moment----

"Look at her," said Ned.... "There! she tipped her nose at him!"

"She didn't!"

"She did. Wats', yo' game ain't never goin' to work."

"Ned, y'ain't got the sense of a loon."

"Well, I swear I've got more'n Hugh--or her."

XXVIII

WORDS AND THE "WESTWOOD"

Down on the roof, while Ramsey'