ust be twenty."

"Eh? Twenty? Humph! Well, I suppose she is."

"There is no hurry, sir. Let matters go on as they are, only let it be
an understood thing that you do, say in a latent may, encourage my
suit."

"No, sir; I'll bind myself to nothing; I--Oh, hang it all, man, why did
you spoil a pleasant trip like this?"

"Spoil it, Sir Mark? Have some compassion for the natural feelings of a
man thrown into the society of so sweet a girl as--"

"That will do, sir; that will do," cried the admiral, frowning. "There;
I'm not going to quarrel with you, Mr Barron. I was young once myself.
I was a good sailor, I'm told, but this sort of thing is out of my
latitude. If my poor wife had lived--Phew! it's growing hot, isn't it?
Thunderstorm, I suppose."

"I'm very sorry, Sir Mark."

"So am I, sir," said the admiral. "There's an end to our trip."

"Sir Mark! Don't talk like that. I'll leave the hotel to-morrow. I
would not on any consideration--"

"That will do, Mr Barron; that will do. I'm a man of few words, and
what I say I mean. This can go no further here."

"You don't mean that you will go away?"

"Back to England, sir, and home as fast as I can."

"But my proposal, sir?"

"I have a sister there, sir, my counsellor in all matters concerning my
two girls."

"But you will give me leave to call--in England?"

"Tchah, man! You'll forget it all in a month."

Barron smiled.

"You will give me leave to call at your house?"

"As a gentleman, sir, I can hardly refuse that."

Barron smiled and bowed.

"I see, sir. I have been too hasty, Admiral Jerrold. I ask you as a
favour, if you do carry out your hasty decision, to make some inquiries
respecting Mr Barron of Trinidad."

"I shall, sir, of course," said the admiral. "You'll excuse me now; I'm
going to join my niece and daughter."

He left the veranda gallery, puffing heavily at his cigar, while Barron
stood watching him.

"Hit or miss?" he muttered. "Hit, I think, and game worth bringing
down. She's cold. Well, naturally, I don't think I managed it so
badly, after all."

"Oh, here's uncle," said Edie half an hour later as she saw the big,
burly figure of the old sailor approaching. "Oh, you dear, good old
uncle. Come and sit down here, and you can see the colour changing on
the ice peaks."

"No, no, no. Come back, girls, and pack up. We're off by the first
train to-morrow."

"Where to now, papa?"

"Bourne Square, W., my d