et caught
in them sometimes," said I.

"I wonder how Miss Van Buren will like this? She's sure to see it,"
Starr went on, reflectively.

How she liked it mattered more to me than to anybody else, because if
she disliked it, I was the person upon whom her vexation would be
visited. But there was a still more important point which apparently
hadn't come under the Mariner's consideration. How would Lady
MacNairne's husband like it?

Evidently Starr doesn't know that there has been an upset of some sort
between Sir Alec and the charming Fleda; and as Fleda is his aunt, but
has not confided in her nephew (while she has in me) no matter what
trouble the newspaper paragraph may cause for the entire party, it would
be a breach of confidence for me to enlighten him.

"By Jove," I said to myself, "what will MacNairne do if he sees in the
paper that his wife, who has run away from home without telling him
where she's staying, is the principal guest on board a boat of mine? I
ought to warn Starr that there may be a crash, but I can't."

The only thing I could do was to pump him, in the hope that he knew more
of his aunt's affairs than I supposed.

"My stock's pretty far down in the market with Miss Van Buren already,"
said I. "It can't go lower. I wonder how these asses think of such
nonsense? But I suppose it came of registering 'Lorelei' in my name,
which I had to do, to use the flag of the Sailing and Rowing Club of
Rotterdam. Somebody heard of the boat's being registered by Rudolph
Brederode, and _voila_ the consequences. But where is Lady MacNairne?"

"Heavens, don't yell at the top of your voice," groaned Starr, in a
dreadful whisper. "There may be some one at the next table who can speak
English. I've had an awful lesson, as nobody knows better than you, to
behave in a restaurant as if I were at church. The real Lady McN., who
is _not_ up-stairs at the present moment breakfasting with Tibe, may be
in Kamschatka for all I know, though I think it probable she's not. All
I _do_ know is that she's never answered two frantic telegrams of mine.
She's not at home. She may be anywhere else--except in Holland, where
she's wanted."

"It would be awkward if she should turn up now," I remarked.

"_Was_ wanted, I ought to have said. But she's such a good pal, I should
fix things up with her somehow."

"I doubt if you would with her husband," I thought, though aloud I said
nothing. I was sure now that he was in ignorance of th