The wharf to which our couple strolled was a mere flooring above the water, edged with a stout string-piece, which formed a bench for the mothers.  They were there in groups, some seated on the string-piece with babes in arms or with perambulators before them, and others, facing these, standing and joining in the gossip, and swaying to and fro to soothe their little ones.  Those who gave their offspring the breast did so publicly, unembarrassed by a modesty they would have considered false.  A few youthful couples, boy by girl and girl by boy, sat on the string-piece and whispered, or bandied fun with those other lovers who patrolled the flooring of the wharf.  A “gang” of rude young men—­toughs—­walked up and down, teasing the girls, wrestling, scuffling, and roaring out bad language.  Troops of children played at leap-frog, high-spy, jack-stones, bean-bag, hop-scotch, and tag.  At the far end of the pier some young men and women waltzed, while a lad on the string-piece played for them on his mouth-organ.  A steady, cool, vivifying breeze from the bay swept across the wharf and fanned all the idlers, and blew out of their heads almost all recollection of the furnacelike heat of the town.

Cordelia forgot her desire to display her conquest.  She forgot her true self.  She likened the wharf to that “lordly veranda overlooking the sea,” where the future Mayor begged Clarice to be his bride.  She knew just what she would say when her prince spoke his lines.  She and Mr. Fletcher were just about to seat themselves on the great rim of the wharf, when an uproar of the harsh, froglike voices of half-grown men caused them to turn around.  They saw Jerry Donahue striding towards them, but with difficulty, because half a dozen lads and youths were endeavoring to hold him back.

“Dat’s Mr. Fletcher,” they said.  “It ain’t his fault, Jerry.  He’s dead square; he’s a gent, Jerry.”

The politician’s gilly tore himself away from his friends.  The gang of toughs gathered behind the others.  Jerry planted himself in front of Cordelia.  Evidently he did not know the submissive part he should have played in Cordelia’s romance.  James the butler made no out-break, but here was Jerry angry through and through.

“You didn’t keep de date wid me,” he began.

“Oh, Jerry, I did—­I tried to, but you—­” Cordelia was red with shame.

“The hell you did!  Wasn’t I—­”

“Here!” said Mr. Fletcher; “you can’t swear at this lady.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Jerry asked.  “What would you do?”

“He’s right, Jerry.  Leave him be—­see?” said the chorus of Jerry’s friends.

“A-a-a-h!” snarled Jerry.  “Let him leave me be, then.  Cordelia, I heard you was a dead fraud, an’ now I know it, and I’m a-tellin’ you so, straight—­see?  I was a-waitin’ ‘cross der street, an’ I seen you come out an’ meet dis mug, an’ you never turned yer head to see was I on me post.  I seen dat, an’ I’m a-tellin’ yer friend just der kind of a racket you give me, der same’s you’ve give a hundred other fellers.  Den, if he likes it he knows what he’s gittin’.”