After the usual greetings, Mr. Fountain asked Eve if she would come over and drink tea with him and his niece.

Miss Dodd colored and cast a glance of undisguised admiration at Miss Fountain, but she said:  “Thank you, sir; I am much obliged, but I am afraid I can’t come.  My brother would miss me.”

“What—­the sailor?  Is he at home?”

“Yes, sir; came home last night”; and she clapped her hands by way of comment.  “He has been with my mother all church-time; so now it is my turn, and I don’t know how to let him out of my sight yet awhile.”  And she gave a glance at Miss Fountain, as much as to say, “You understand.”

“Well, Eve,” said Mr. Fountain good-humoredly, “we must not separate brother and sister,” and he was turning to go.

“Perhaps, uncle,” said Lucy, looking not at Mr. Fountain, but at Eve—­“Mr.—­Mr.—­”

“David Dodd is my brother’s name,” said Eve, quickly.

“Mr. David Dodd might be persuaded to give us the pleasure of his company too.”

“Oh yes, if I may bring dear David with me,” burst out the child of nature, coloring again with pleasure.

“It will add to the obligation,” said Lucy, finishing the sentence in character.

“So that is settled,” said Mr. Fountain, somewhat dryly.

As they were walking home together, the courtier asked her uncle rather coldly, “Who are these we have invited, dear?”

“Who are they?  A pretty girl and a man she wouldn’t come without.”

“And who is the gentleman?  What is he?”

“A marine animal—­first mate of a ship.”

“First mate? mate?  Is that what in the novels is called boatswain’s mate?”

“Haw! haw! haw!  I say, Lucy, ask him when he comes if he is the bosen’s mate.  How little Eve will blaze!”

“Then I shall ask him nothing of the kind.  Do tell me!  I know admirals—­they swear—­and captains, and, I think, lieutenants, and, above all, those little loves of midshipmen, strutting with their dirks and cocked hats, like warlike bantams, but I never met ‘mates.’  Mates?”

“That is because you have only been introduced to the Royal Navy; but there is another navy not so ornamental, but quite as useful, called the East India Company’s.”

“I am ashamed to say I never heard of it.”

“I dare say not.  Well, in this navy there are only two kinds of superior officers—­the mates and the captain.  There are five or six mates.  Young Dodd has been first mate some time, so I suppose he will soon be a captain.”

“Uncle!”

“Well.”

“Will this—­mate—­swear?”

“Clearly.”

“There, now.  I do not like swearing on a Sunday.  That wicked old admiral used to make me shudder.”

“Oh,” said Mr. Fountain, playing upon innocence, “he swore by the Supreme Being, ‘I bet sixpence.’”

“Yes,” said Lucy, in a low, soft voice of angelic regret.