he British Navy.' As this was the first
intimation Miss de Dear had given as to a fondness for water, except on
the side, I felt that living and learning were synonymous terms. So,
perhaps, did the Judge, who said, apropos of nothing in particular,
'When I was in California in fifty-nine, I saw a snake over forty-seven
feet long. The onery rascal wouldn't coil up, and they had to carry him
from place to place on flat cars. Now what do you think of _that_?' Miss
de Dear gazed dreamily out at the tossing waves, and said nothing, while
I caught hold of the Judge's elbow to steady him. Plainly the
celebration was on.

"'My dear, dear Patsy,' he said affectionately.

"'Oh, I tell you what let'h do,' said the maiden impulsively; 'let'h go
and have our fortunes told. I am dying to have mine told. Last night I
dreamt for the third time that Aunt Genevieve had died and left me all
her money. Maybe there is something in it. The palm of my left hand has
been itching all day.'

"So to the fortune-teller's we went.

[Illustration: Professor Habib.]

"Professor Habib was a Parsee, with features Irish in their intensity.
As I gazed at him I thought of the far-reaching kinship of man. Here was
a Fire-worshipper out of Persia, who for all the world looked like my
brother Mick; and God knows Mick's no Parsee! Habib wore his native
costume with a little red fez on top.

"'Be seated,' he said courteously; again reminding me of Mick.

"'Which one first?' he asked, pointing to a little inner room curtained
from view. The Judge suggested genially that we all go in together, but
the professor explained that one at a time was his invariable rule.

"'Oh, all right, all right,' said the judge, somewhat miffed; 'far be it
from me to--to----'

"'Ladies first,' said I.

"''Tis well,' said the professor, with a salaam; and the pair
disappeared behind the draperies.

"'I wonder how long they are going to stay,' said the Judge, after we
had waited some fifteen minutes. The conversation behind the arras, at
first low and murmuring, was becoming animated. I distinctly heard the
Parsee say, 'Who are the blaggards ye've brought here wid ye?' followed
by an unintelligible reply.

"'What did he say?' queried the Judge, looking up sharply.

"'I don't understand Parsee, sir,' said I.

"'That was no foreign tongue; that was American--with a brogue. I don't
like that. Let's hurry them up. I say, what time is it?'

"We reached for our watches.