for their confidence, walked abstractedly away, observing in strictest
confidence to himself that he had done well to prepare that bottle
beforehand and bribe Crusoe's man to find it.

"For now," he said, with a chuckle, "I can get back to earth again free of
cost on my own hook, whether my eminent inventor wants me there or not. I
never approved of his killing me off as he did at the very height of my
popularity."




IV

ON BOARD THE HOUSE-BOAT


Meanwhile the ladies were not having such a bad time, after all. Once
having gained possession of the House-boat, they were loath to think of
ever having to give it up again, and it is an open question in my mind if
they would not have made off with it themselves had Captain Kidd and his
men not done it for them.

"I'll never forgive these men for their selfishness in monopolizing all
this," said Elizabeth, with a vicious stroke of a billiard-cue, which
missed the cue-ball and tore a right angle in the cloth. "It is not
right."

"No," said Portia. "It is all wrong; and when we get back home I'm going
to give my beloved Bassanio a piece of my mind; and if he doesn't give in