front door by the steward, whose faint "Good-night" was utterly ignored
by his injured commander. He stood at the door until they had turned the
corner, and, returning to the kitchen, found his remaining guest holding
his aching head beneath the tap.

[Illustration: "He found his remaining guest holding his aching head
beneath the tap."]

"And now," said the captain, sternly, to his daughter, "how dare you sit
and talk to that young cub? Eh? How dare you?"

"He was there when I went in," said his daughter. "Why didn't you come
out, then?" demanded her father.

"I was afraid of disturbing you and Sam," said Miss Nugent. "Besides,
why shouldn't I speak to him?"

"Why?" shouted the captain. "Why? Because I won't have it."

"I thought you liked him," said Miss Nugent, in affected surprise. "You
patted him on the head."

The captain, hardly able to believe his ears, came to an impressive stop
in the roadway, but Miss Nugent walked on. She felt instinctively that
the joke was thrown away on him, and, in the absence of any other
audience, wanted to enjoy it without interruption. Convulsive and
half-suppressed sounds, which she ascribed to a slight cold caught while
waiting in the kitchen, escaped her at intervals for the remainder of the
journey home.