Lettice shot him a withering glance. “Your protection, indeed! I’d rather die than be indebted to your complaisance for my safety!” And those ever ready and passionate tears began to gather in her eyes.
Rhoda made a slight movement toward her, but her father laid his hand on her arm and she passed, pressing her lips tightly together. Lettice gave a toss of her head, and said, “Come, Brother James, it is time we were off; the packet will be starting without us.”
“I most devoutly wish it would!” Mr. Clinton exclaimed.
“Well, it won’t!” Lettice retorted, moving toward the door. “Come, James, cut short your adieux. Good-by, all of you. I leave you to the tender mercies of Admiral Cockburn.” And without a turn of her head she hastened down the street.
James followed and overtook her at the corner. “You are a spoiled little minx, Letty,” he said. “Why do you speak so disrespectfully to your elders?”
“Do you perchance mean Robert Clinton? Am I to have such an inordinate amount of consideration for him because of his advantage of a few years?”
“Oh, Robert Clinton, was it? But you included Mr. Kendall and Aunt Martha in your remarks.”
“Well, if I did, I am glad; I’d not have had the temerity to attack them but that I was so hot against that weathercock.”
“Weathercock, is it? Humph!” James was silent a moment, and then he added, “Weathercocks seem to be a product of New England.”
“Are they then male and female?” Lettice asked mischievously. Then seeing her brother’s face looked really grave and troubled, she linked her arm in his and said coaxingly: “Never mind, Jamie, there are as good fish in the sea as ever yet were caught, and one doesn’t need to go so far from home for them. Let’s whistle these weather-vanes off, and let them whirl to the tune their north wind blows. Is that the Patapsco? I’m glad to be aboard her once more. There seems to be a fair number of passengers in spite of the alarms. We will have a right merry time, I reckon. There is Becky Lowe, as I live! and Tyler Baldwin, and—Come, Jamie, help me up.” And in a few minutes a jolly little party was established in one corner of the boat, Lettice and her brother being welcomed heartily.