ion?"

"I don't mind telling you. But you mustn't tell the captain."

"The captain? Oh, to be sure. Doesn't fancy your friends, the Fords. I
remember."

From that time on he boldly and openly entered the lists for Bobby's
favor. The ten days he had allowed himself to drift with the tide of his
inclination were passing with incredible swiftness, and he resorted to
every means, from the subtlest strategy to the most domineering
insolence, to monopolize every waking moment of her time.

She responded to all his suggestions with flattering promptness until
preparations were set on foot to hold a huge gymkhana, in which
everybody on board should take part. The enterprise fired her enthusiasm
instantly. She was a born organizer, and the prospect of a whole day
devoted to sports captivated her. The project served as a peg on which
she and Percival hung their first quarrel.

"Of course I'm going into it," she exclaimed hotly, "and so are you."

"The idea!" said Percival. "I shouldn't think of it for a moment. Fancy
me chasing an egg around the deck in a teaspoon, and all that sort of
thing!"

"But there are lots of other contests. There's the long jump, and the
tug-of-war--"

"And pinning tails on donkeys," added Percival, bitterly. "Dare say
you'd like to see me doing that."

"I'd like to see you doing anything that would make you more sociable,"
flashed Bobby.

For the rest of the day Percival sulked in the smoking-room, raging at
the time that was stolen from him, and given to the making of silly
rules and the buying of trifling prizes.

On the morning of the sports he arrayed himself in one of the white
creations of G. Lung Fat's, giving special attention to the accessories
of his toilet. Then, with marked indifference to the games, which were
the all-absorbing topic of the day, he had his chair moved to the far
side of the deck, and sat there in superior isolation during the whole
morning.

But even there he could not avoid hearing what was taking place; shouts
of laughter, groans, and jeers over a failure, and frantic applause over
a victory, were wafted to him constantly. Now and then some one hurried
by with the information that Andy Black had won the quoits prize or that
Andy Black had won the bottle-race. His lip curled contemptuously at
sports that required a mere trickster's turn of the wrist or an animal's
sense of direction. He would like to see Andy attempt a long jump or a
mile race. Imagine the