“What then does she know?”

“Oh she knows I know.”

“Well, we know what Mrs. Peck knows,” one of the ladies of the group observed to me with an air of privilege.

“Well, you wouldn’t know if I hadn’t told you—­from the way she acts,” said our friend with a laugh of small charm.

“She’s going out to a gentleman who lives over there—­he’s waiting there to marry her,” the other lady went on, in the tone of authentic information.  I remember that her name was Mrs. Gotch and that her mouth looked always as if she were whistling.

“Oh he knows—­I’ve told him,” said Mrs. Peck.

“Well, I presume every one knows,” Mrs. Gotch contributed.

“Dear madam, is it every one’s business?” I asked.

“Why, don’t you think it’s a peculiar way to act?”—­and Mrs. Gotch was evidently surprised at my little protest.

“Why it’s right there—­straight in front of you, like a play at the theatre—­as if you had paid to see it,” said Mrs. Peck.  “If you don’t call it public!”

“Aren’t you mixing things up?  What do you call public?”

“Why the way they go on.  They’re up there now.”

“They cuddle up there half the night,” said Mrs. Gotch.  “I don’t know when they come down.  Any hour they like.  When all the lights are out they’re up there still.”

“Oh you can’t tire them out.  They don’t want relief—­like the ship’s watch!” laughed one of the gentlemen.

“Well, if they enjoy each other’s society what’s the harm?” another asked.  “They’d do just the same on land.”

“They wouldn’t do it on the public streets, I presume,” said Mrs. Peck.  “And they wouldn’t do it if Mr. Porterfield was round!”

“Isn’t that just where your confusion comes in?” I made answer.  “It’s public enough that Miss Mavis and Mr. Nettlepoint are always together, but it isn’t in the least public that she’s going to be married.”

“Why how can you say—­when the very sailors know it!  The Captain knows it and all the officers know it.  They see them there, especially at night, when they’re sailing the ship.”

“I thought there was some rule—!” submitted Mrs. Gotch.

“Well, there is—­that you’ve got to behave yourself,” Mrs. Peck explained.  “So the Captain told me—­he said they have some rule.  He said they have to have, when people are too undignified.”

“Is that the term he used?” I inquired.

“Well, he may have said when they attract too much attention.”

I ventured to discriminate.  “It’s we who attract the attention—­by talking about what doesn’t concern us and about what we really don’t know.”

“She said the Captain said he’d tell on her as soon as ever we arrive,” Mrs. Gotch none the less serenely pursued.

“She said—?” I repeated, bewildered.

“Well, he did say so, that he’d think it his duty to inform Mr. Porterfield when he comes on to meet her—­if they keep it up in the same way,” said Mrs. Peck.