are making mountains of mole-heaps; she
probably hurried off thinking to catch me up."

Captain Trimblett gave a little dry cough. "Ask her," he said,
impressively.

"I'm not going to put any such ideas into her head," said his friend.

"Sound her, then," said the captain. "This is the way I look at it. We
all think he is a very nice fellow, don't we?"

"He is," said Hartley, decidedly.

"And we all think she's a splendid girl, don't we?" continued the other.

"Something of the sort," said Hartley, smiling.

"There you are, then," said the captain, triumphantly. "What is more
likely than that they should think the same of each other? Besides, I
know what he thinks; I can read him like a book."

"You can't read Joan, though," said the other. "Why, she often puzzles
me."

"I can try," said the captain. "I haven't known her all these years
for nothing. Now, don't tell her we saw her. You leave her to me--and
listen."

"Better leave her alone," said Hartley.

The captain, who was deep in thought, waved the suggestion aside. He
walked the remainder of the way in silence, and even after they were in
the house was so absorbed in his self-appointed task, and so vague in
his replies, that Joan, after offering him the proverbial penny for
his thoughts, suggested to her father in a loud whisper that he had got
something in mind.

"Thinking of the ships he has lost," she said, in a still louder
whisper.

The captain smiled and shook his head at her.

"Couldn't lose a ship if I tried," he said, nudging Hartley to call his
attention to what was to follow. "I was saying so to Mr. Robert only
yesterday!"

His voice was so deliberate, and his manner so significant, that Miss
Hartley looked up in surprise. Then she coloured furiously as she saw
both gentlemen eying her with the air of physicians on the lookout
for unfavourable symptoms. Anger only deepened her colour, and an
unladylike and unfilial yearning to bang their two foolish heads
together possessed her. Explanations were impossible, and despite
her annoyance she almost smiled as she saw the concern in the eye the
captain turned on her father.

"Saying so only yesterday," repeated the former, "to Mr. Robert."

"I saw him this afternoon," said Joan, with forced composure. "I went
up to father's room and found _him_ there. Why didn't you tell me you
had given up your room, father?"

Mr. Hartley pleaded in excuse that he thought he had told her, and was
sur