lashed,
and the breakfast, it seemed to go along of itself, and erelong the
convives were eating ambrosia and sipping nectar. Van Dam told a shark
story. Mavick demonstrated its innate improbability. The Major sang
a song--a song of the forties, with a touch of sentiment. Jack, whose
cheerful voice was a little of the cider-cellar order, and who never
sang when he was sad, struck up the latest vaudeville ditty, and Carmen
and Miss Tavish joined in the chorus.

"I like the sea," the Major declared. They all liked it. The breakfast
lasted a long time, and when they rose from the table Jack said that
presently they would take a course round the harbor. The Major remarked
that that would suit him. He appeared to be ready to go round the world.

While they were preparing to start, Carmen and Jack strolled away to the
bow, where she perched herself, holding on by the rigging. He thought
he had never seen her look so pretty as at that moment, in her trim
nautical costume, sitting up there, swinging her feet like a girl, and
regarding him with half-mocking, half-admiring eyes.

What were they saying? Heaven only knows. What nonsense do people so
situated usually talk? Perhaps she was warning him against Miss Tavish.
Perhaps she was protesting that Julia Tavish was a very, very old
friend. To an observer this admirable woman seemed to be on the
defensive--her most alluring attitude. It was not, one could hear,
exactly sober talk; there was laughter and raillery and earnestness
mingled. It might be said that they were good comrades. Carmen
professed to like good comradeship and no nonsense. But she liked to be
confidential.

Till late in the afternoon they cruised about among the islands, getting
different points of view of the coast, and especially different points
of view of each other, in the freedom of talk and repartee permitted on
an excursion. Before sunset they were out in the open, and could feel
the long ocean swell. The wind had risen a little, and there was a low
band of clouds in the south. The skipper told Mr. Delancy that it would
be much fresher with the sinking of the sun, but Jack replied that it
wouldn't amount to anything; the glass was all right.

"Now the great winds shoreward blow;
Now the salt tides seaward flow;
Now the wild white horses play,
Champ and chafe and toss in the spray."

Miss Tavish was in the wheel-house, and had taken the wheel. This clever
girl knew h