gifts,' persisted Jim.
'You're very kind, I believe; but I'm reserved--I detest display.'

'Still, you know, my man, brave actions like yours cannot be totally
disregarded by feeling people.'

'To be sure!' from the lady.

'Captain Evan,' said the young man firmly, 'ever since I came on board
the Francis Cadman I've endeavoured to keep myself to myself. I asked
nothing from anybody on this ship, but simply to be left alone. That's
all I ask now. Perhaps I appear boorish to the lady, but the instincts of
a lifetime must be respected.' Jim spoke like an old man. The lady found
him very impressive.

'Very well, Done,' said the Captain, looking searchingly into Jim's
strong young face, 'we'll say no more about the matter.' He moved away,
but the lady extended the slim gloved fingers again, lowering her eyes
for an effective unveiling.

'I respect your feelings,' she said, as if making great concession.

Really, the boy was most interesting, so handsome, so unusual. She smiled
upon him like a guardian angel with exquisite teeth, and the scamp turned
again to the sea, apostrophizing in fo'c'sle idiom all interfering fools
and sentimental humbugs.

III

Lucy Woodrow did not appear on the deck until after nightfall. Jim
understood that she would insist upon expressing lifelong gratitude with
the usual effusion and the usual tears. He feared the ordeal, and
prepared himself for it. He had seen the girl often during the voyage,
sometimes accompanied by a blonde youth, whose beautiful clothes and
exquisite manners afforded unfailing material for primitive satire in the
forecastle, but, as a rule, quite alone, muffled in a dark, hooded cloak,
watching the sea, always with her face turned yearningly back, as if
England and home lay straight out along the vessel's wake. She was
middling tall, eighteen perhaps, with a thin but supple and pleasing
figure, and a quiet, smileless face, that wanted only happiness to make
it beautiful.

Done's misanthropy was not a quality of his nature, it was thrust upon
him, and did not prevent his being a close observer of men and things;
but that he had the smallest interest in any person on board was not
believed by one of his shipmates, since he was instinctively careful to
betray no concern. He had been struck by the girl's apparent loneliness.
The attentions of the blonde youth were borne meekly, as part of the
contiguous discomforts--that much was obvious to the forecastle and all
und