Damaris rushed at the old lady, and having curtsied to her, gathered
her up in her strong arms and hugged her tightly, just as Captain X,
who during one trip had had the duchess as passenger and therefore
loved her, came along.

As they turned in the direction of the dining-saloon, the girl looked
over her shoulder at the two maids, and smiled.

With a great love of their respective mistresses as their sole bond in
common they stood, otherwise divided, staring at each other.

"Pleased to meet you again," volunteered country-bred Jane, offering a
plump hand.

"Hoping you are in good health," responded Maria Hobson, making a
corner in strawberry-leaves as she just touched the finger-tips.

"Wellington, you have met Dekko, I think," laughed the girl.

"Woomph!" grunted the dog disdainfully, as he cocked an eye at the
bird, which ruffled its feathers, spread its red tail and looked down
sideways and spitefully for a long moment.

"My Gawd!" it suddenly shrieked. "My Gawd!"

And it swung about and rubbed its soft grey pate against its mistress's
outrageous golden perruque, then hurled itself onto the captain's
shoulder.