The Spaniard was a dignified man; he had inherited from his English
mother a saving sense of humor. It was intolerable that the pleasant
relations existing between the few survivors on board the Kansas should
be disturbed by reason of any failure on his part to acquiesce in
Elsie's right to bestow her affections where she listed. He wondered
if the girl had come on deck after supper; her habit was to retire
early, as she rose soon after the sun. He had seen her for a moment
only in passing out of the saloon, and there was a suspicious
brightness in her eyes for which solicitude on the dog's behalf would
hardly account. Why not put his fortunes to the test that night and
have done with it? Yes, that was the right course. He would cease
this petty watchfulness, this campaign of planning and contriving lest
others should monopolize more of her smiles and pleasant words than he.
A simple question would determine his fate. Either she was
heart-whole, or not; at any rate, he would receive a straight answer.
So it was on the cards that Elsie would be the amazed recipient of two
proposals in one evening, which is a better average than most women are
favored with in a lifetime. Christobal had entered the chart-house
with the fixed intent of warning Boyle that he was going below for a
moment to ask Miss Maxwell to come on deck, when a hurried step on the
bridge companion caused the imminent words to be withheld.
It was Courtenay, who had run up from the saloon to procure those
fateful letters which had so nearly parted Elsie and himself. He had
laughingly refused to tell her their history. That would spoil their
effect, he said. She must take them to her state-room and read them at
her leisure. Then she would see their true inwardness, and his
feelings would be spared, as he could not deny that the majority of
them had been written by ladies.
On his way, he looked into the wheel-house. There was no light in the
interior. Boyle, wrapped in a heavy coat, was seated in the most
sheltered corner.
"All quiet?" asked the captain, in his brisk way.
"Nothin' doin', sir," answered Boyle.
"I expect you are both feeling pretty tired. Tollemache and I propose
to relieve you at six bells."
"But why?" demanded Christobal. "It is you who have passed an exciting
day. I am ready to mount guard until dawn. Tollemache can join me now
if he likes, as Mr. Boyle ought to be in bed."