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beforehand where you are to go。 Oh how I shall miss the dear； changeable；
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inconstant sea！ And how sorry I am I'm not a man and a sailor！〃
This to the guest admitted on board on sufferance； and not one word of
it addressed； even by chance； to the owner of the yacht！
Richard Turlington's heavy eyebrows contracted with an unmistakable
expression of pain。
〃If this calm weather holds；〃 he went on； addressing himself to Sir
Joseph； 〃I am afraid； Graybrooke； I shall not be able to bring you back to
the port we sailed from by the end of the week。〃
〃Whenever you like； Richard；〃 answered the old gentleman； resignedly。
〃Any time will do for me。〃
〃Any time within reasonable limits； Joseph；〃 said Miss Lavinia；
evidently feeling that her brother was conceding too much。 She spoke with
Sir Joseph's amiable smile and Sir Joseph's softly… pitched voice。 Two twin
babies could hardly have been more like one another。
While these few words were being exchanged among the elders； a
private communication was in course of progress between the two young
people under the cabin table。 Natalie's smartly…slippered foot felt its way
cautiously inch by inch over the carpet till it touched Launce's boot。
Launce； devouring his breakfast； instantly looked up from his plate； and
then； at a second touch from Natalie； looked down again in a violent hurry。
After pausing to make sure that she was not noticed； Natalie took up her
knife。 Under a perfectly…acted pretense of toying with it absently； in the
character of a young lady absorbed in thought； she began dividing a
morsel of ham left on the edge of her plate； into six tiny pieces。 Launce's
eye looked in sidelong expectation at the divided and subdivided ham。 He
was evidently waiting to see the collection of morsels put to some
telegraphic use； previously determined on between his neighbor and
himself。
In the meanwhile the talk proceeded among the other persons at the
breakfast…table。 Miss Lavinia addressed herself to Launce。
〃Do you know； you careless boy； you gave me a fright this morning？ I
was sleeping with my cabin window open； and I was awoke by an awful
splash in the water。 I called for the stewardess。 I declare I thought
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somebody had fallen overboard！〃
Sir Joseph looked up briskly； his sister had accidentally touched on an
old association。
〃Talk of falling overboard；〃 he began； 〃reminds me of an extraordinary
adventure〃
There Launce broke in； making his apologies。
〃It shan't occur again； Miss Lavinia；〃 he said。 〃To…morrow morning I'll
oil myself all over； and slip into the water as silently as a seal。〃
〃Of an extraordinary adventure；〃 persisted Sir Joseph； 〃which
happened to me many years ago； when I was a young man。 Lavinia？〃
He stopped； and looked interrogatively at his sister。 Miss Graybrooke
nodded her head responsively； and settled herself in her chair； as if
summoning her attention in anticipation of a coming demand on it。 To
persons well acquainted with the brother and sister these proceedings were
ominous of an impending narrative； protracted to a formidable length。 The
two always told a story in couples； and always differed with each other
about the facts； the sister politely contradicting the brother when it was Sir
Joseph's story； and the brother politely contradicting the sister when it was
Miss Lavinia's story。 Separated one from the other； and thus relieved of
their own habitual interchange of contradiction； neither of them had ever
been known to attempt the relation of the simplest series of events without
breaking down。
〃It was five years before I knew you； Richard；〃 proceeded Sir Joseph。
〃Six years；〃 said Miss Graybrooke。
〃Excuse me； Lavinia。〃
〃No； Joseph； I have it down in my diary。〃
〃Let us waive the point。〃 （Sir Joseph invariably used this formula as a
means of at once conciliating his sister； and getting a fresh start for his
story。） 〃I was cruising off the Mersey in a Liverpool pilot…boat。 I had hired
the boat in company with a friend of mine； formerly notorious in London
society； under the nickname （derived from the peculiar brown color of his
whiskers） of 'Mahogany Dobbs。'〃
〃The color of his liveries； Joseph； not the color of his whiskers。〃
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〃My dear Lavinia； you are thinking of 'Sea…green Shaw；' so called from
the extraordinary liveries he adopted for his servants in the year when he
was sheriff。〃
〃I think not； Joseph。〃
〃I beg your pardon； Lavinia。〃
Richard Turlington's knotty fingers drummed impatiently on the table。
He looked toward Natalie。 She was idly arranging her little morsels of
ham in a pattern on her plate。 Launcelot Linzie； still more idly； was
looking at the pattern。 Seeing what he saw now； Richard solved the
problem which had puzzled him on deck。 It was simply impossible that
Natalie's fancy could be really taken by such an empty…headed fool as
that！
Sir Joseph went on with his story：
〃We were some ten or a dozen miles off the mouth of the Mersey〃
〃Nautical miles； Joseph。〃
〃It doesn't matter； Lavinia。〃
〃Excuse me； brother； the late great and good Doctor Johnson said
accuracy ought always to be studied even in the most trifling things。〃
〃They were common miles； Lavinia。〃
〃Th ey were nautical miles； Joseph。〃
〃Let us waive the point。 Mahogany Dobbs and I happened to be below
in the cabin； occupied〃
Here Sir Joseph paused （with his amiable smile） to consult his memory。
Miss Lavinia waited （with _her_ amiable smile） for the coming
opportunity of setting her brother right。 At the same moment Natalie laid
down her knife and softly touched Launce under the table。 When she thus
claimed his attention the six pieces of ham were arranged as follows in her
plate： Two pieces were placed opposite each other； and four pieces were
ranged perpendicularly under them。 Launce looked； and twice touched
Natalie under the