She must have caught my glance of surprise, for she said nervously,
"You think we are overplaying our return call? Well, the truth is,
we're afraid."
"So then?"--and I bowed.
"So then I fished out all my jewelry."
"We are honored."
"Well, I didn't know what might happen. If one should be
shipwrecked----" I caught her frightened gaze out an open port,
perfectly aware myself of the swift weather change.
"There is nothing like dressing the part of the shipwrecked," said I.
"For myself, these same flannels will do."
"Pshaw!" said young L'Olonnois, "suppose she does pitch a little--it
ain't any worse'n on the Mauretania when we went across. I ain't
scared, are you, John?"
"No," replied Jean Lafitte shyly. He was almost overawed with the
ladies. But I liked the look of his eye now.
"She's not as big as the Mauretania," said Helena, fixing
L'Olonnois' collar for him.
"I'm sure she's going to roll horribly," added Aunt Lucinda. "And if I
should be seasick, with my neuralgia, I'm sure I don't know what I
should do."
"I know!" remarked L'Olonnois; and Helena promptly dropped her hand
over his mouth.
"Let us not think of storm and shipwreck," said I, "at least until
they come. I want to ask your attention to John's imitation of Luigi's
oysters à la marinière. The oysters are of our own catching this
morning. For, you must know, the water hereabout is very shallow, and
is full of oysters."
"You said full of sharks," corrected Aunt Lucinda.
"Did I? I meant oysters." And I helped her to some from the
dumb-waiter and uncorked the very last bottle of the ninety-three left
in the case. "And as for this storm of which you speak, ladies," I
added as I poured, "I would there might come every day as ill a wind
if it would blow me as great a good as yourselves for luncheon."
"Yes," said L'Olonnois brightly, "you might blow in once in a while
an' see us fellers. I told Black Bart that captives----" but here I
kicked Jimmy under the table. Poor chap, what with his Auntie Helena's
hand at one extremity and my boot at the other, he was strained in his
conversation, and in disgust, joined Jean Lafitte in complete silence
and oysters.
"Really," and Helena raised her eyes, "isn't it growing colder?"
"Jean, close the port behind Miss Emory," said I. It was plain enough
to my mind that a blue norther was breaking, with its swift drop in
temperature and its possibly high wind.
"The table's actin' funny," commented Jean Lafitte presently. He had
never been at sea before.
"Yes," said Aunt Lucinda, with very much--too much--dignity. "If you
all will please excuse me, I think I shall go back to the cabin.
Helena!"