"She looks it," returned Lizzie, with a malicious giggle.
"And," continued Dr. Malone, not noticing her interruption, "as for Lisle, I always knew that he was a splendid chap."
This speech was not palatable to Miss Caggett; she tossed her head and replied,—
"I see nothing splendid about him; and for that matter, Mrs. Creery says that she saved everybody——"
"Oh, of course," ironically. "I can tell you this much, that it's well for Mrs. Creery that it was not an elegant, indolent fop that happened to be aboard, like her friend, Mr. James Quentin; if he had fallen foul of Aboo, Aboo would have made short work of him with his flaccid muscles and portly figure; it was ten to one on the convict, an exceptionally powerful man—he was desperate, like a wolf in a cage, and he was armed. However, Lisle is as hard as nails, and a very determined fellow, and whatever Mrs. Creery may choose to say, we owe her valuable life to him."
"He managed to save his own too," snapped Lizzie, as if she rather regretted the circumstance.
"Yes, but he has got a couple of very ugly deep cuts—one of them dangerously near the jugular!"
"It strikes me as a very curious fact, that within the last two months Mr. Lisle and Miss Denis have been concerned in two most thrilling adventures: they were nearly drowned coming from North Bay—at least, so she says—and now they have been all but murdered; a remarkable coincidence, and really very funny."
"Funny! Miss Caggett. I think it would scarcely strike any one else in a humorous light. It was a mere chance, and a lucky one for Miss Denis, that she had Lisle to stand by her on both occasions."
"She is welcome to him, as far as I'm concerned," retorted the young lady waspishly.