or ever?"

She had moved towards the companion-ladder, and as she did so, Major
Biffin followed her.

"Will you not allow me to give you an arm down stairs?" said he.

"Thank you, Major Biffin. It is rather crowded, and I can go better
alone."

"You did not find the stairs in the 'Lahore' too crowded."

"Oh, yes, I did; very often. And the 'Lahore' and the 'Cagliari' are
different things."

"Very different it seems. But the sea itself is not so fickle as a
woman." And Major Biffin became a picture of injured innocence.

"And the land is not so dry as a man, Major Biffin; that is, some
men. Ha! ha! ha! Good-morning, Major Biffin." And so saying, she went
down by herself.

On the next day, Arthur still preferred his book to walking with Mrs.
Price; and that lady was once again seen with her arm in that of
Captain M'Gramm's. This made a considerable consternation in the
ship; and in the afternoon there was a slight quarrel between the two
ladies.

"And so, Minnie, you are going to take up with that fellow again?"

"No; I am not. But I don't choose to be left altogether to myself."

"I never would have anything to say to a married man that drops his
wife as he does."

"I don't care two straws for him, or his wife. But I don't want to
make myself conspicuous by a quarrel."

"I'm sure Wilkinson will be annoyed," said Mrs. Cox.

"He's a muff," said Mrs. Price. "And, if I am not mistaken, I know
some one else who is another."

"Who do you mean, Mrs. Price?"

"I mean Mr. Bertram, Mrs. Cox."

"Oh, I dare say he is a muff; that's because he's attentive to me
instead of leaving me to myself, as somebody does to somebody else. I
understand all about that, my dear."

"You understand a great deal, I have no doubt," said Mrs. Price. "I
always heard as much."

"It seems to me you understand nothing, or you wouldn't be walking
about with Captain M'Gramm," said Mrs. Cox. And then they parted,
before blood was absolutely drawn between them.

At dinner that day they were not very comfortable together. Mrs.
Price accepted Mr. Wilkinson's ordinary courtesies in a stately way,
thanking him for filling her glass and looking after her plate, in
a tone and with a look which made it plain to all that things were
not progressing well between them. George and his Annie did get on
somewhat better; but even they were not quite at their ease. Mrs. Cox
had said, before luncheon, that she had not known Mr. Bertram long
enough