“But, brother, think of it,” exclaimed James Dunlap.
“There is no but about it, James, I wish him to sail in our ship, the ‘Adams,’ as master. I understand his desire and endorse his wish to get to sea.”
“Oh! Of course if you really are in earnest just instruct Burton in the premises, but Jack must dine with us tomorrow and see Lucy or she will never forgive him or me.”
“Don’t you see that the lad has always loved Lucy, is heartbroken over her marriage and wants to get away before the wedding?” cried John Dunlap, as he turned after closing the door upon Captain Jack’s departing figure.
“What a blind old fool I am not to have seen or thought of that!” exclaimed his brother.
“How I wish in my soul it was our cousin that my girl was going to marry instead of Burton, but it is too late, too late.”
Sadly the darker Dunlap brother echoed the words of Lucy’s grandfather, as he sank into a chair and covered his face with his hands:
Too late! Too late! Too late!