“Let's have breakfast,” said Mrs. Mink.
After breakfast I swam ashore with an axe, climbed the bank, selected four tall slender palms that leaned in the direction of the Violetta's after-deck, and hacked them down. Two of them fell on the Violetta and damaged her rail, but stuck where they fell. The professor roped the ends to a capstan, and crossed that sagging bridge, respectably calm, dragging after him the long end of the rope, which we fastened to a tree. The Violetta was moored.
Mrs. Mink came, too, nervous but firm.
What a woman! Practical, foreseeing, sagacious, she will walk the tight-rope of any catastrophe. In fact, she brought a hammock and a cushion with her. Norah's method of crossing somewhat resembled shinning a pole. ON recollection, I should say that she yelled.
When Professor Simpson and I set out to explore the island, Norah was throwing stones at the green and red parrot, and Mrs. Mink lay in the hammock, not understanding that parrot's dialect, which I didn't understand altogether myself, but it appeared to me he was blistering the foliage with it.
The island was some three to five miles around by the coast, and no other land was in sight from it, barring a slight bump on the southeastern horizon which might be another small island, or might be Mont Pelée. It appeared we had been blown some distance during the night. There were no inhabitants at the time, or we found none, though there were two groups of sorry huts not far from the beach, and frequent paths through the woods, showing occasional occupancy.
We came back by the northern shore of the bay, and saw that the Violetta was safe. We stood some moments in silence. The wind had risen again and now blew hard from the west, so that the Violetta was protected on a lee shore, though where we stood the waves rolled in tumultuously. Professor Simpson broke the silence. He suddenly planted himself before me, his hands on his hips, and frowned.
Now, a frown that is directed upward has the law of gravitation against it. Professor Simpson's shortness incommoded him in that respect.
“It is not my habit, Dr. Ulswater,” he began, “to brook impertinent opposition or light-minded interference. In, therefore, announcing my intention to invite Mrs. Mink to the alliance of marriage, I consider that no more need be said. I wish to be relieved of this undignified rivalry, and to avail myself of this situation to fulfil my purpose in peace. I demand that your too noticeable attentions shall cease. Your attitude toward Mrs. Mink is offensive to me. I repeat, sir, they must cease.”
Extraordinary professor! Never was another like him. He was a species.