“Is that an American cruiser?  I really believe it is the Tecumseh.  What on earth were you talking about, Dick?”

Shirley fluttered her handkerchief in the direction of the American flag displayed by the cruiser, and Dick lifted his cap.

“I was bidding farewell to your foreign suitors, Shirley, and congratulating myself that as soon as pere et mere get their sea legs they will resume charge of you, and let me look up two or three very presentable specimens of your sex I saw come on board.  Your affairs have annoyed me greatly and I shall be glad to be free of the responsibility.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

“And if there are any titled blackguards on board—­”

“You will do dreadfully wicked things to them, won’t you, little brother?”

“Humph!  Thank God, I’m an American!”

“That’s a worthy sentiment, Richard.”

“I’d like to give out, as our newspapers say, a signed statement throwing a challenge to all Europe.  I wish we’d get into a real war once so we could knock the conceit out of one of their so-called first-class powers.  I’d like to lead a regiment right through the most sacred precincts of London; or take an early morning gallop through Berlin to wake up the Dutch.  All this talk about hands across the sea and such rot makes me sick.  The English are the most benighted and the most conceited and condescending race on earth; the Germans and Austrians are stale beer-vats, and the Italians and French are mere decadents and don’t count.”

“Yes, dearest,” mocked Shirley.  “Oh, my large brother, I have a confession to make.  Please don’t indulge in great oaths or stamp a hole in this sturdy deck, but there are flowers in my state-room—­”

“Probably from the Liverpool consul—­he’s been pestering father to help him get a transfer to a less gloomy hole.”

“Then I shall intercede myself with the President when I get home.  They’re orchids—­from London—­but—­with Mr. Armitage’s card.  Wouldn’t that excite you?”

“It makes me sick!” and Dick hung heavily on the rail and glared at a passing tug.

“They are beautiful orchids.  I don’t remember when orchids have happened to me before, Richard—­in such quantities.  Now, you really didn’t disapprove of him so much, did you?  This is probably good-by forever, but he wasn’t so bad; and he may be an American, after all.”

“A common adventurer!  Such fellows are always turning up, like bad pennies, or a one-eyed dog.  If I should see him again—­”

“Yes, Richard, if you should meet again—­”

“I’d ask him to be good enough to stop following us about, and if he persisted I should muss him up.”

“Yes; I’m sure you would protect me from his importunities at any hazard,” mocked Shirley, turning and leaning against the rail so that she looked along the deck beyond her brother’s stalwart shoulders.

“Don’t be silly,” observed Dick, whose eyes were upon a trim yacht that was steaming slowly beneath them.