sacrifices himself for a woman, he naturally likes to have
the satisfaction of knowing that he has made a success; and I felt that
a melancholy pleasure would be mine should I learn that Phyllis had
profited by my kindness. It would have been flattering to my
self-esteem, also, though perhaps disastrous to my ribs, if Robert van
Buren had thrown himself upon my bosom, thanking me for his deliverance
from bondage. I had to remind myself that he could not possibly know
what he owed me, or I should have been unjust enough to accuse him of
ingratitude.

A heavy shower came on while we were driving in open cabs through
Amsterdam, therefore the moment we arrived at the well-remembered hotel
of our last visit, the various members of the band had to skurry off to
their rooms and change their drenched garments. As no plan of campaign
had been arranged for the rest of the day--it was then past five--we did
not meet again, as a party, until dinner-time, when we all came together
with the exception of Brederode, who absented himself to dine with a
friend.

It was the first time that he had been away, and to my surprise I
discovered that, when a Mariner has carried an Albatross about with him
week after week, he actually misses the creature if he mislays it.
Somehow, we seemed to be at loose ends without Brederode. Lacking an
organizer, nobody knew what to do; and if he had wished to enhance his
value, he couldn't have chosen a better way. As if at a loss for any
other subject of common interest, we fell to talking of the absent
one--all save Nell, who listened in silence, not once joining in until
Freule Menela capped an anecdote of Robert's in praise of his hero, by
remarking----

"Of course Rudolph's brave enough; but that's no particular credit to
him. All Brederodes have been brave, since the days of the Water Beggar.
But I'm afraid he's quite aware of that, and all his other perfections.
He _is_ rather conceited, and as for obstinacy----"

Then at last Nell had something to say for herself. "Doesn't it strike
you," she asked with elaborate sweetness, "that a person may have
self-respect and firmness without being either obstinate or conceited?"

"Well!" exclaimed Robert, in the pause which followed, "that's the first
time I've ever heard you defend Rudolph, Cousin Helen."

"He has proved himself such a faithful skipper that it's my duty, as the
owner of the boat, to defend the good qualities which have served us
best,"