him, wing him, bring him down, before he
should soar another round. With old Joy at her feet, in the dusk of her
corner beyond Mrs. So-and-so, the parson's wife; she allowed herself a
poor, bitter-sweet smile.

Each time when Hugh had come back to the bench, room had been hurriedly
made for him next the parson's wife--"stabboard side"--who, speaking for
all, promptly began to interrogate him, her first question always being
as to his father's condition, which did not improve. Making room on the
bench made room in the conversation--decoying pauses hopefully designed
to lure him into saying something, anything, to Ramsey, or her to him;
but always the kind trap had gone unsprung. Two or three times,
obviously, Mrs. So-and-so's inquiries had first been Ramsey's to her; as
when one of them elicited the fact that the next turn would be Horseshoe
Cut-off and Kangaroo Point; and once, at length, after twice failing to
believe the ear she bent to Ramsey's murmur, she said audibly:

"Ask him, dear; ask him yourself."

Every one waited and presently Hugh remarked:

"I'll answer if I can."

"I'd rather," faltered Ramsey, "ask John the Baptist."

The unlucky mention took no evident effect on any one. If that was the
snub she would have to try again.

"I can ask him for you," said Hugh. "He's up, expecting to leave us at
Helena."

"No, thank you," she sighed, "you're too awfully busy. It won't make any
real difference if I never find out."

"Won't sink the boat to ask," drawled Watson; but she remained silent
till Hugh inquired:

"Are you sure I can't tell you?"

"Oh, you can!" came from Ramsey's dark corner. "But--with the whole boat
in your care--we oughtn't to ask you things we don't have to know."

"Lard! belch it out," urged the innocent Ned, taking her in earnest; but
again she was silent.

"Well?" said Hugh.

"Oh, well, are there many--? Oh, it ain't important."

"Why, missy," muttered old Joy, "you's dess natchiully bleeds to ax it
now."

"Yes, dear," said the parson's wife, "let's have it."

"Well--are there many--? Oh, it's not--are there--are there many
kangaroos on Kangaroo Point?"

At any outer edge of civilization a joke may be as hard and practical as
ship's bread, yet pass. Amid the general mirth and while Hugh pulled a
bell cord which made no jingle down in the engine-room and had never
before been observed by Ramsey, his reply was prompt and brief but too
gently solemn for her ear; and when