Once Aboard the Lugger-- The History of George and his Mary

or Gets

ut his arms about her; held her to him for a moment in a tremendous hug; pressed his lips to

k in half in a minute if

ench that stood across the room, sat her there, and

, "to see you again!

And you never sent me a line. I've not had a word with you since you came up on the

e dropped her hand; fumbled in his pocket for his pipe. H

thing. It was such a frantic lett

" George got from the bench and

ipe, gustily puffed, but did not speak, a tiny troubled pucker came between her eyes. There was a

upon the table; sprang to her side. His right arm he put about her, in his left hand he clasped both her

me," she s

ts your

me, tell m

will

I can. Oh, do t

you, that

it back. A most exquisite orange head upreared. A q

d. "George! The Ros

little crack of laught

her! No, but

her all

l t

ook

mean?" Mary had jumped to her feet when first the Rose stepped forth; n

a Mary, don't talk like that

you done?-what

d little flutterings when we are trying to put a case before them in our manlike way!

t I've done if you

t to th

h. I can't tell you while you look lik

ilderment. "But, Georgie, it's somethi

e. From the beginning. When I told old Marrapit I'd passed

no

I asked him to lend it-he got worse. Mary, he simply wou

roop of her mo

essor Wyvern, you know. I thought that if I took his cat,

Geo

el

ing-f

he'd do what I want out of pure gratitude. Then I'd bring it back and get the money-say I'd found it, you see, and-and-wait a bit-for heaven's sake don't speak yet." George saw his Mary was bursting with words;

rong-it's awful! Why, do you know what people would c

rrible word from h

trying to get what is my own. I felt all along you would see that; otherwise-" He hesitated. He was in difficulties. M

o dig him a vital thrust with the trident: "

ing: "Tell you! Tell you! How could I tel

en. Oh, Georgie, it's

just like a woman to say that! You won't listen to reaso

en't got any reason. If you had, why

hand. "There you go! Why didn't I tell you? I've told

didn't think. Now that you are thinking you must se

I don't in

u getting in such

getting i

all sorts-of-things. You-said-I-was-just-like-a-woman." Out came this p

"Oh, Mary! Oh, I say

e nose. "I can't help crying. This is an-an awful

revented him. He burst out desperately. "Oh, damn! Oh, what a beast I am! I'm always making you cry. Oh, damn! Oh, Mary! I can't

e bear to hear her George accuse himself. Upon a tremendous sniff, "You haven't been a brute," she said,

detective are after me now, and I simply must hide the beastly cat where it will be safe. Well, it's safest here-here, right under their noses, where nobody will ever look because everyone thinks it miles away by now. I can't stop near it, because I must be away on this clue

that would help you. But, Georgie, it's not right; it

t heard what I'

been listeni

isn't a bit serious. It's only a frightful rag. And nobody will suffer, beca

was done for her; that delicious picture of the future, when it was swallowed, proved to be an argument in favour of his purpose. Love and argument, argument and love-she could not separate them, and they combined into a most e

concluded. She had been won if she had much longer rem

g sigh she gave was the little fluttering sigh of a

radiant with excitement, with love. Yet she did it. The goody-goody little s

at you mean, Georgie. But

the other patted as she gave her little homily-goody-goody little arguments, Sunday-school little arguments

tle goose," he told her. "But I love you all the more for it, although I'd like to shake you. I would like to shake you, Mary. You're ruini

ating to bend this dear George; intoxicatin

ght, am I no

it. One night. And this afternoon you will go to Professor Wyvern and tell him everything and hear what he thinks about it-what an outsider thinks: see? Yes, that's it. Don't even spend a night over it. Have a talk with P

she joined. "Ye

one-thirty train. I must calm Bill and the 'tec. in ca

her hope that the Professor

f you. Mary, I'm sure he will. Look here, I must fly; come half-way to t

or behind them; hur

high-road, that Mrs. Major, a cat beneath her arm, went