ainst
the bulwarks an' lookin' as if he'd swallowed a dog."

--"There, there! . . . And some plucky of the man to stand up to
it, 'stead of walkin' off an' drownin' hisself. I like a man
as can take a knock-down blow standing up. 'Tis a rare
occurrence in these days."

Mrs Bosenna, too, whose wealth (pleasant enough for the comforts it
procured, pleasanter, perhaps, for an attendant sense of security,
pleasantest of all, it may be, for a further sense of power and
importance, secretly enjoyed) had, as yet, of public acknowledgment
taken little toll beyond the deference of tradesmen when she went
shopping, felt herself of a sudden caught up to an eminence the very
giddiness of which was ecstasy. It is possible that, had Cai claimed
her there and then, before the crowd, she would have yielded with but a
faint protest. You must not think that she lost her head for a moment.
On the contrary during her triumphal convoy she saw everything with
remarkable distinctness. She knew well enough that some scores of
women, all around, were envying her, yet admiring in spite of their
envy. Without hearing them, she could almost tell what comments were
uttered in boat after boat as she passed. But what mattered their envy,
so long as they admired? Nay, what mattered their envy, so long as they
envied? The tonic north wind, the sunshine, the sparkle of the water,
the gay lines of bunting flickering from stem to stern of the Committee
Ship, the invigorating blare of the Troy Town Band, now throwing its
soul into "Champagne Charlie," the propulsion of the oars that seemed to
snatch her and sweep her forward past wondering faces to high destiny--
all these were wings, and lifted her spirit with them. She began to
under stand what it must feel like to be a Queen, or (at least) a Prime
Minister's wife.

"Ea-sy all! In oars! . . . Bow, stand by to check her!"

Cai called his orders clearly, sharply, in the tone of a master of men.
A score of boats hampered approach to the accommodation ladder; but
those that had occupants were obediently thrust wide to make way, and
easily as in a barge of state Mrs Bosenna was brought alongside.
A dozen hands checked the way of the boat, now abruptly. Other hands
were stretched to help her up the ladder, which she ascended with
smiling and graceful agility. On the deck, at the head of it, stood the
Hon. Secretary, with the silver cup ready, nursed in the crook o