German, and the cutting end
of a German student's blunted dueling sword. Having, as he felt, thus
equipped himself for the hero of an American "Good Society" novel, he
went on board a "liner," where there would naturally be susceptible
young ladies. One he thought he recognized as a girl with whom he used
to play "forfeits" in the vulgar past of his boyhood. She sat at his
table, accompanied by another lady whose husband seemed to be a
confirmed dyspeptic. His remarks struck Lummox as peculiar.

"Shall I begin dinner with pudding and cheese or take the ordinary soup
first? I quite forget which I did last night," he said anxiously to
his wife.

But Mrs. Starling hesitated.

"Tell me, Mary," he said, appealing to Miss Bike, the young lady.

"I should begin with the pudding," said Miss Bike decisively, "and
between that and the arrival of the cheese you can make up your mind,
and then, if you think better, go back to the soup."

"Thank you so much. Now, as to drink? Shall I take the
Friedrichshalle first or the Benedictine? You know the doctor insists
upon the Friedrichshalle, but I don't think I did well to mix them as I
did yesterday. Or shall I take simply milk and beer?"

"I should say simplicity was best. Besides, you can always fill up
with champagne later."

How splendidly this clear-headed, clear-eyed girl dominated the man!
Lummox felt that REALLY he might renew her acquaintance! He did so.

"I remembered you," she said. "You've not changed a bit since you were
eight years old."

John, wishing to change the subject, said that he thought Mr. Starling
seemed an uncertain man.

"Very! He's even now in his stateroom sitting in his pyjamas with a
rubber shoe on one foot and a pump on the other, wondering whether he
ought to put on golf knickerbockers with a dressing-gown and straw hat
before he comes on deck. He has already put on and taken off about
twenty suits."

"He certainly is very trying," returned Lummox. He paused and colored
deeply. "I beg," he stammered, "I hope--you don't think me guilty of a
pun! When I said 'trying' I referred entirely to the effect on your
sensitiveness of these tentative attempts toward clothing himself."

"I should never accuse YOU of levity, Mr. Lummox," said the young lady,
gazing thoughtfully upon his calm but somewhat heavy features,--"never."

Yet he would have liked to reclaim himself by a show of lightness. He
was leaning on the rail looking at t