wever, as I easily concluded that the persons tucked away in so snug a
corner were Jasper Nettlepoint and Mr. Porterfield's intended. Tucked
away was the odious right expression, and I deplored the fact so betrayed
for the pitiful bad taste in it. I immediately turned away, and the next
moment found myself face to face with our vessel's skipper. I had
already had some conversation with him--he had been so good as to invite
me, as he had invited Mrs. Nettlepoint and her son and the young lady
travelling with them, and also Mrs. Peck, to sit at his table--and had
observed with pleasure that his seamanship had the grace, not universal
on the Atlantic liners, of a fine-weather manner.

"They don't waste much time--your friends in there," he said, nodding in
the direction in which he had seen me looking.

"Ah well, they haven't much to lose."

"That's what I mean. I'm told _she_ hasn't."

I wanted to say something exculpatory, but scarcely knew what note to
strike. I could only look vaguely about me at the starry darkness and
the sea that seemed to sleep. "Well, with these splendid nights and this
perfect air people are beguiled into late hours."

"Yes, we want a bit of a blow," the Captain said.

I demurred. "How much of one?"

"Enough to clear the decks!"

He was after all rather dry and he went about his business. He had made
me uneasy, and instead of going below I took a few turns more. The other
walkers dropped off pair by pair--they were all men--till at last I was
alone. Then after a little I quitted the field. Jasper and his
companion were still behind their lifeboat. Personally I greatly
preferred our actual conditions, but as I went down I found myself
vaguely wishing, in the interest of I scarcely knew what, unless it had
been a mere superstitious delicacy, that we might have half a gale.

Miss Mavis turned out, in sea-phrase, early; for the next morning I saw
her come up only a short time after I had finished my breakfast, a
ceremony over which I contrived not to dawdle. She was alone and Jasper
Nettlepoint, by a rare accident, was not on deck to help her. I went to
meet her--she was encumbered as usual with her shawl, her sun-umbrella
and a book--and laid my hands on her chair, placing it near the stern of
the ship, where she liked best to be. But I proposed to her to walk a
little before she sat down, and she took my arm after I had put her
accessories into the chair. The deck was clear