"Well, never mind," responded Staniford. "We must make her feel that
there is nothing irregular or uncommon in her being here as she is.
I don't know how the matter's to be managed, exactly; it must be a
negative benevolence for the most part; but it can be done. The first
thing is to cow that nuisance yonder. Pumping the cabin-boy! The
little sot! Look here, Dunham; it's such a satisfaction to me to think
of putting that fellow under foot that I'll leave you all the credit
of saving the young lady's feelings. I should like to begin stamping
on him at once."

"I think you have made a beginning already. I confess I wish you
hadn't such heavy nails in your boots!"

"Oh, they'll do him good, confound him!" said Staniford.

"I should have liked it better if her name hadn't been Blood,"
remarked Dunham, presently.

"It doesn't matter what a girl's surname is. Besides, Blood is very
frequent in some parts of the State."

"She's very pretty, isn't she?" Dunham suggested.

"Oh, pretty enough, yes," replied Staniford. "Nothing is so common
as the pretty girl of our nation. Her beauty is part of the general
tiresomeness of the whole situation."

"Don't you think," ventured his friend, further, "that she has rather
a lady-like air?"