riendship with a wet kiss on my sleeve.

"Good boy!" said I, and meant it. He had given me a character, and had
placed me upon a sound footing with one who would be, I foresaw, a Power
on "Lorelei."

"Thank you _so_ much!" said she, with the promised burr-r so pronounced
in her accent that she must, I thought, have spent the night in
practising it. She then carefully selected the best chair, and took from
another a blue silk cushion which matched her yachting-cap and veil.

As she sat down, making a footstool of Tibe, and displaying two
exquisitely shod feet in brand new suede shoes, Miss Rivers appeared,
pale and interesting.

"I _do_ hope you're better, my poor child," purred the Chaperon.

"Oh, thank you, dear Lady MacNairne, I shall be quite right now we've
started."

This interchange of civilities told that the Mariner's "Aunt Fay" had
already contrived to ingratiate herself with her charges.

Miss Rivers sank into the nearest chair, closing her eyes, while I stood
aloof and turned the wheel; but presently the languid lashes lifted, and
she became conscious of me. Then her eyes grew big. She remembered me
from the day at the Prinzenhof, or the Horse Show, perhaps. Evidently
Starr had not named me yet, nor had Miss Van Buren, in descending after
our brief encounter, put any questions. Whether this boded ill or well,
I could not decide, but longed to get suspense over; and I was not kept
waiting.

I heard Starr's voice below urging Miss Van Buren on deck. "Don't bother
about putting everything away," he said. "Do it later. You must say
good-by to Rotterdam. Who knows what will have happened to us before we
get back?"

It would not be my fault if two of the party were not engaged, I was
thinking hopefully, as Miss Van Buren's eyes--rising from below like
stars above a dark horizon--met mine. There was no recognition in them.
To all appearance oblivious of ever having seen my insignificant
features on land or sea, she came smiling up, on the friendliest terms
with Starr.

The vacant chair, most conveniently placed for her, was close to the
wheel, and I hoped that she would take it. But rather than be thus
trapped, she stepped over Tibe and pushed past her stepsister with an "I
beg your pardon, dear."

The Mariner gave no glance at me, but there was a catch in his voice
which betokened a twinkle of the eye, as he said----

"Aunt Fay, Miss Van Buren and Miss Rivers, I must introduce the friend I
told you