draw his attention
from their boat's course?

After a few minutes' silence she asked, a smile twitching the corners of
her mouth:

"I suppose there is not a piece of paper anywhere about," and she looked
into her pocket and beneath the seat in a vain search; and there was a
gleam of mischief in her eyes as she added: "I suppose you could not
accommodate me with a piece of paper, could you, Mr. McNeil? Oh, thanks.
And a pencil? Much obliged. Now, if there is only an empty bottle around
some place, with a tight cork, I'll not despise the shipwrecked mariner's
post office." "What are you going to do?" said Hugh, looking at her in
surprise.

"Well, if I am to be detained here indefinitely, I would like to send a few
parting words to Lancy. I am sure it would be _such_ a comfort to him, in
case the letter ever reached him, to know that I cared enough for him to
remain true under such trying circumstances."

Was she making fun of him or not? Hugh could not tell, but he snatched the
piece of paper from her hand and flung it over the side of the boat.

"Poor Lancy! how he will grieve for me!" she added in a commiserating tone,
as she watched the receding scrap of paper. "You might have allowed me that
one bit of consolation, I am sure, Mr. McNeil."

"Do you really love Lancy so much? I cannot believe it, Dexie."

"You might, nevertheless; for believe me, Mr. McNeil, if I had but one last
wish granted me, it would be that I might be transported to his side. Ah
me! I do not think I ever cared for him so much as I do at this present
moment," and Dexie began to sing in a minor tone and in the high, cracked
voice of an old woman:

"Why--do--we--mourn--departed--friends
Or--"

"Dexie, stop that!" and Hugh's' voice was sharp with pain and annoyance. "I
do believe you are the most vexatious creature that ever lived."

"It makes me happy to hear you acknowledge that, Mr. McNeil; and I think
you are far too sensible to want to spend your whole life with such a
vexatious creature as you know me to be. Put a stop to all this nonsense,
and let us return home."

"Never! You are trifling with a matter that is more than life and death to
me, and you make jokes while I suffer. Do you think I cannot see through
all this professed love for Lancy? Do girls in love confess it to a third
party so freely and openly? No! Lancy has no place in your heart at all. I
have watched you too closely to be mistaken," and before she was aware o