r in another minute.
Then Cleggett cursed himself inwardly for a brute--it rushed over him
how difficult to Lady Agatha her position on board the Jasper B. must
seem. She must regard herself as practically a pensioner on his
bounty. And he had been churl enough to show a spark of temper--and
that, too, after she had repeatedly expressed her gratitude to him.

"I am deeply sorry, Lady Agatha," he began, blushing painfully, "if----"

"Silly!" She interrupted him by reaching across the table and laying a
forgiving hand upon his arm. "Don't be so stiff and formal. Eat your
egg before it gets cold and don't say another work. Of course I know
you're not REALLY going to be cross." And she attacked her breakfast,
giving him such a look that he forthwith forgave himself and forgot
that he had had anything to forgive in her.

"There's going to be a frightful racket around here today," he said
presently. "Maybe you'd like to get away from it for a while. How'd
you like to go for a row?"

"I'd love it!" she said.

"George will be glad to take you, I'm sure."

"George? And you?" He thought he detected a note of disappointment in
her voice; he had not thought to disappoint her, but when he found her
disappointed he got a certain thrill out of it.

"I am going over to Morris's this morning," he said.

"To Morris's? Alone?"

"Why, yes."

"But--but isn't it dangerous?"

Cleggett smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"Promise me that you will not go over there alone," she demanded.

"I am sorry. I cannot."

"But it is rash--it is mad!"

"There is no real danger."

"Then I am going with you."

"I think that would hardly be advisable."

"I'm going with you," she repeated, rising with determination.

"But you're not," said Cleggett. "I couldn't think of allowing it."

"Then there IS danger," she said.

He tried to evade the point. "I shouldn't have mentioned it," he
murmured.

She ran into the stateroom and was back in an instant with her hat,
which she pinned on as she spoke.

"I'm ready to start," she said.

"But you're not going."

"After what you've done for me I insist upon my right to share whatever
danger there may be." She spoke heatedly.

In her heat and impulsiveness and generous bravery Cleggett thought her
adorable, although he began to get really angry with her, too. At the
same time he was aware that her gratitude to him was such that she was
on fire to give him some positive and