"
"You put it down to the necktie, do you?" sneered the mate wrathfully.
"That and the clothes, cert'nly," replied the skipper.
"Well, you're wrong," said the mate. "A lot you know about girls. It
wasn't your old clothes, and it wasn't all your bad behaviour to her
since she's been aboard. You may as well know first as last. She
wouldn't have nothing to do with me at first, so I told her all about
Mary Jones."
"You told her THAT?" cried the skipper fiercely.
"I did," replied the other. "She was pretty wild at first; but then the
comic side of it struck her--you wearing them old clothes, and going
about as you did. She used to watch you until she couldn't stand it any
longer, and then go down in the cabin and laugh. Wonderful spirits that
girl's got. Hush! Here she is!"
As he spoke the girl came on deck, and, seeing the two men talking
together, remained at a short distance from them.
"It's all right, Jane," said the mate; "I've told him."
"Oh!" said Miss Cooper, with a little gasp.
"I can't bear deceit," said the mate; "and now it's off his mind, he's
so happy he can't bear himself."
The latter part of this assertion seemed to be more warranted by facts
than the former, but Evans made a choking noise, which he intended as a
sign of unbearable joy, and, relinquishing the wheel to the mate, walked
forward.
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