is not always the case, his end of
the table is the most pleasant place. There is generally more fun and
laughing at that end than there is at the other; for all the people who
fancy that they are of importance make a point of getting seats as near
as they can to the captain, and important people are not, as a rule,
anything like as pleasant as the rest of us."

Wilfrid walked across the deck with Mr. Atherton to the point where his
father and mother were sitting. "Mother, this is Mr. Atherton, who is in
my cabin." Mr. Atherton shook hands with Mr. and Mrs. Renshaw.

"I asked your son to introduce me at once, Mrs. Renshaw, because, as I
have been telling him, a good deal of the comfort of the voyage depends
upon making a snug little party to sit together at meals. There is
nothing I dread more than being put down between two acidulated women,
who make a point of showing by their manner every time one sits down
that they consider one is taking up a great deal more than one's share
of the seat."

Mrs. Renshaw smiled. "I should think people were not often as rude as
that."

"I can assure you that it is the rule rather than the exception, Mrs.
Renshaw. I am not a particularly sensitive man, I think; but I make a
point of avoiding crowded railway-carriages, being unable to withstand
the expression of blank dismay that comes over the faces of people when
I present myself at the door. I have thought sometimes of hiring a
little boy of about four years old to go about with me, as the two of us
would then only take up a fair share of space. I have been looking to
the cabin arrangements, and find that each seat holds three. Your son
and daughter are neither of them bulky, so if they won't mind sitting a
little close they will be conferring a genuine kindness upon me."

"We shall not mind at all," Wilfrid and Marion exclaimed together, for
there was something so pleasant about Mr. Atherton's manner they felt
that he would be a delightful companion.

"Very well, then; we will regard that as settled. Then we five will
occupy the seats on one side of the chief officer."

"We will get the two Allens opposite," Wilfrid put in.

"I will look about for three others to make up what I may call our
party. Who do you fancy, Mrs. Renshaw? Now look round and fix on
somebody, and I will undertake the duty of engineering the business."

"There are two girls, sisters, in my cabin," Marion said. "I think they
seem nice. They are going ou