te's boyhood which the latter had
spent a goodly portion of his life in denying. He denied it again,
hotly, and Miss Harris, conquering for a time her laughter, reprimanded
him severely for contradicting.

By the time dinner was ready he was in a state of sullen apathy, and when
the meal was over and the couple came on deck again, so far forgot
himself as to compliment Miss Harris upon her appetite.

"I'm ashamed of you, Ted," said the skipper, with severity.

"I'm glad you know what shame is," retorted the mate.

"If you can't be'ave yourself, you'd better keep a bit for'ard till you
get in a better temper," continued the skipper.

"I'll be pleased to," said the smarting mate. "I wish the barge was
longer."

"It couldn't be too long for me," said Miss Harris, tossing her head.

"Be'aving like a schoolboy," murmured the skipper.

"I know how to behave _my_-self," said the mate, as he disappeared below.
His head suddenly appeared again over the companion. "If some people
don't," he added, and disappeared again.

He was pleased to notice as he ate his dinner that the giddy prattle
above had ceased, and with his back turned toward the couple when he
appeared on deck again, he lounged slowly forward until the skipper
called him back again.

"Wot was them words you said just now, Ted?" he inquired.

The mate repeated them with gusto.

"Very good," said the skipper, sharply; "very good."

"Don't you ever speak to me again," said Miss Harris, with a stately air,
"because I won't answer you if you do."

The mate displayed more of his schoolboy nature. "Wait till you're
spoken to," he said, rudely. "This is your gratefulness, I suppose?"

"Gratefulness?" said Miss Harris, with her chin in the air. "What for?"

"For bringing you for a trip," replied the mate, sternly.

"You bringing me for a trip!" said Miss Harris, scornfully. "Captain
Gibbs is the master here, I suppose. He is giving me the trip. You're
only the mate."

"Just so," said the mate, with a grin at his brother-in-law, which made
that worthy shift uneasily. "I wonder what Loo will say when she sees
you with a lady aboard?"

"She came to please you," said Captain Gibbs, with haste.

"Ho! she did, did she?" jeered the mate. "Prove it; only don't look to
me to back you, that's all."

The other eyed him in consternation, and his manner changed.

"Don't play the fool, Ted," he said, not unkindly; "you know what Loo
is."

"Well, I'm