Catherine was amused; Mrs. Presty burst out laughing; the
Captain's dry humor asserted itself as quaintly as ever. "This is
no laughing matter," he resumed, looking at Catherine. "My vessel
is a small one. For two nights the awful music of my friend's
nose kept me sleepless. When I woke him, and said, 'Don't snore,'
he apologized in the sweetest manner, and began again. On the
third day I anchored in the bay here, determined to get a night's
rest on shore. A dispute about the price of these rooms offered
them to me. I sent a note of apology on board--and slept
peacefully. The next morning, my sailing master informed me that
there had been what he called 'a little swell in the night.' He
reported the sounds made by my friend on this occasion to have
been the awful sounds of seasickness. 'The gentleman left the
yacht, sir, the first thing this morning,' he said; 'and he's
gone home by railway.' On the day when you happened to arrive, my
cabin was my own again; and I can honestly thank you for
relieving me of my rooms. Do you make a long stay, Mrs. Norman?"

Catherine answered that they were going to London by the next
train. Seeing Randal's card still unnoticed on the table, she
handed it to the Captain.

"Is Mr. Linley an old friend of yours?" he asked, as he took the
card.

Mrs. Presty hastened to answer in the affirmative for her
daughter. It was plain that Randal had discreetly abstained from
mentioning his true connection with them. Would he preserve the
same silence if the Captain spoke of his visit to Mrs. Norman,
when he and his friend met next? Mrs. Presty's mind might have