er his ears. All the chairs were full--his own
included (as happens to easy-tempered men)--and he had only a brief
colloquy with the party. He noticed, however, that Mr. Carling had on
the russet shoes, and wondered if they pinched him. In fact, though he
couldn't have said exactly why, he rather hoped that they did. He had
just that sympathy for the nerves of two-and-fifty which is to be
expected from those of five-and-twenty--that is, very little.

When he went in to dinner the Carlings and Miss Blake had been at table
some minutes. There had been the usual controversy about what Mr.
Carling would drink with his dinner, and he had decided upon
Apollinaris water. But Miss Blake, with an idea of her own, had given an
order for champagne, and was exhibiting some consternation, real or
assumed, at the fact of having a whole bottle brought in with the cork
extracted--a customary trick at sea.

"I hope you will help me out," she said to John as he bowed and seated
himself. "'Some one has blundered,' and here is a whole bottle of
champagne which must be drunk to save it. Are you prepared to help turn
my, or somebody's, blunder into hospitality?"

"I am prepared to make any sacrifice," said John, laughing, "in the
sacred cause."

"No less than I expected of you," she said. "_Noblesse oblige!_ Please
fill your glass."

"Thanks," said John. "Permit me," and he filled her own as well.

As the meal proceeded there was some desultory talk about the weather,
the ship's run, and so on; but Mrs. Carling was almost silent, and her
husband said but little more. Even Miss Blake seemed to have something
on her mind, and contributed but little to the conversation. Presently
Mr. Carling said, "Mary, do you think a mouthful of wine would hurt me?"

"Certainly not," was the reply. "It will do you good," reaching over for
his glass and pouring the wine.

"That's enough, that's enough!" he protested as the foam came up to the
rim of the glass. She proceeded to fill it up to the brim and put it
beside him, and later, as she had opportunity, kept it replenished.

As the dinner concluded, John said to Mr. Carling: "Won't you go up to
the smoking room with me for coffee? I like a bit of tobacco with mine,
and I have some really good cigars and some cigarettes--if you prefer
them--that I can vouch for."

As usual, when the unexpected was presented to his mind, Mr. Carling
passed the perplexity on to his women-folk. At this time, however,