"Do you want all the river?" demanded the exasperated master of the
latter vessel, running to the side as they passed. "Why don't you drop
anchor if you want to spoon?"
"Perhaps you 'd better let me take the wheel a bit," said the mate, not
without a little malice in his voice.
"No; you can go an' keep a look-out in the bows," said the girl
serenely. "It'll prevent misunderstandings, too. Better take the
potatoes with you and peel them for dinner."
The mate complied, and the voyage proceeded in silence, the steering
being rendered a little nicer than usual by various nautical sparks
bringing their boats a bit closer than was necessary in order to obtain
a good view of the fair steersman.
After dinner, the tide having turned and a stiff head-wind blowing, they
brought up off Sheppey. It began to rain hard, and the crew of the
Osprey, having made all snug above, retired to the cabin to resume their
quarrel.
"Don't mind me," said Miss Cringle scathingly, as the mate lit his pipe.
"Well, I didn't think you minded," replied the mate; "the old man"--
"Who?" interrupted Miss Cringle, in a tone of polite inquiry.
"Captain Cringle," said the mate, correcting himself, "smokes a great
deal, and I've heard him say that you liked the smell of it,"
"There's pipes and pipes," said Miss Cringle oracularly.
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