ded he.

"Because I was afraid you would forget me, as I said."

"What do you mean? What makes you so suspicious?"

"Your conduct; nothing else."

"What have I done?"

"You tried to get rid of me, and intended to leave me here in this
inhospitable swamp, away from any human habitation, and with nothing in
sight but the railroad and the lake."

"What put such a notion as that into your head, Phil?"

"I have come to the conclusion that you think there is one too many for
the present cruise in the Marian. I should not have come, if you had
not been so kind as to invite me; and now I don't intend to be left in
this swamp."

"Nobody thought of leaving you in the swamp."

"Then you are nobody--which it is not polite to say."

"Come, Phil, we have been good friends, and we won't quarrel now."

"I won't, if I can help it."

"Let us walk up to the place where the flowers grow," said he, leading
the way.

I followed him; but I deemed it advisable to keep at a respectful
distance from him. His only purpose was to get rid of me, and I did not
believe that he would be very scrupulous about the means of doing so. I
did not think he would attempt to murder me, or anything of that sort;
but Miss Collingsby, and Miss Collingsby's expectations, were the prize
for which he was playing. I followed him about twenty rods from the
boat, but without seeing anything which looked like flowers. Indeed, I
had landed here before; and I should as soon have thought of looking
for flowers in the Desert of Sahara as in this region.

Mr. Ben Waterford seated himself on a little hummock, and looked as
though he had something more to say. He did not seem to be in any
hurry, though Miss Collingsby was alone on board of the yacht; and, as
the Florina was also in the lagoon, I could afford to wait as long as
he could; so I seated myself on another hummock near him.

CHAPTER XVIII.

IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED.

"Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby,"
Mr. Ben Waterford began.

"I must acknowledge my own ignorance. I was not aware of it," I
replied.

"It is so."

"Was that what made her scream while I was getting dinner?"

"Scream! She didn't scream!"

"I'm not deaf."

"She only uttered an exclamation."

"You said she was singing; but I always suppose something is the matter
when ladies utter exclamations in just that way."

"You are saucy and impudent."