He frowned at the lady. She smiled at him. The smile seemed to
say to the Cap'n: "You ridiculous old dear, you! You KNOW
that's what you were going to advise, so why deny it? I've found
you out, but we both might just as well be good-humored about it,
mightn't we?"

"Ma'am," said the Cap'n, evidently struggling between a suddenly
born desire to quit frowning and a sense that he had a perfect
right to frown as much as he wished, "Ma'am, if you was to ask
me, I'd say ridin' on steamships and ridin' on sailin' vessels is
two different matters entirely."

"Cap'n Abernethy," said Cleggett, attempting to indicate that his
sailing master's advice was not absolutely required, "if you have
something to say to me, perhaps later will do just as well."

"As fur as the Jasper B. is concerned," said the Cap'n, ignoring
Cleggett's remark, and still addressing the lady, "I dunno as you
could call her EITHER a sailin' vessel, OR a steamship, as at
present constituted."

"You want to get me off your boat at once," said the lady. "You
know you do." And her manner added: "CAN'T you act like a good-
natured old dear? You really are one, you know!"

The Cap'n became embarrassed. He began to fuss with his necktie,
as if tying it tighter would assist him to hold on to his frown.
He felt the frown slipping, but it was a point of honor with him
to retain it.