two or three times in a casual fashion to his wife. The skipper hardly
listened to him, and patting Miss Harris's cheek in a fatherly manner,
regaled her with an anecdote of the mate's boyhood which the latter had
spent a goodly portion of his life in denying. He denied it again,
hotly, and Miss Harris, conquering for a time her laughter, reprimanded
him severely for contradicting.

By the time dinner was ready he was in a state of sullen apathy, and when
the meal was over and the couple came on deck again, so far forgot
himself as to compliment Miss Harris upon her appetite.

"I'm ashamed of you, Ted," said the skipper, with severity.

"I'm glad you know what shame is," retorted the mate.

"If you can't be'ave yourself, you'd better keep a bit for'ard till you
get in a better temper," continued the skipper.

"I'll be pleased to," said the smarting mate. "I wish the barge was
longer."

"It couldn't be too long for me," said Miss Harris, tossing her head.

"Be'aving like a schoolboy," murmured the skipper.

"I know how to behave _my_-self," said the mate, as he disappeared below.
His head suddenly appeared again over the companion. "If some people
don't," he added, and disappeared again.

He was pleased to notice as he ate his dinner that the giddy prattle