“Nonsense!” was her retort. “But as you say, here is our adventure, or at least yours. How do you propose to get out of it?”
“I don’t know yet,” said I. “Just at present I do not wish this canvasback to get cold. We have remaining before us two hours or more, ample time to make any plan which may be needed. Coffee, I have found, is excellent for plans. Let us make no plans until we have had our coffee, after our little dinner. That will be an hour or so yet. Plenty of time to plan, Helena,” said I. “And please do not slight this bird—it is delicious.”
Her eyes still were sparkling. “I’m rather glad I came,” said she.
“So am I, and I shall be glad when we are back. But meantime I trust you, Helena, absolutely. I will even tell you more. Davidson’s boat, the one which we left him instead of the Belle Helène, is lying in the same slip with ours, rubbing noses with our yacht yonder, as I showed you. Our men have talked with his. They do not yet suspect that we are the vessel which everybody wants to find. I am very thankful their engineer was so sleepy. I learned there at the wharf that Cal Davidson was down-town at his club. He seems to have departed long enough to find excellent company, as usual. I am glad that he has done so, for in all likelihood he will not return to his own boat before to-morrow morning. He will prefer his room at the club to his bunk on the Sea Rover, if I know Cal Davidson. And by that time I hope to be far away.”
“Does he know who you are—does he know who it was that took the Belle Helène?”
“I think not. But, very stupidly—being so anxious to see the original—I left a photograph of yourself on our old boat, the Sea Rover. Item, one cigarette case with my initials. Of course, Cal Davidson may guess the simple truth, or he may make a mystery of these things. It seems he prefers to make a mystery; and I am sure that suits me much better.”
“But knowing these things—knowing that his boat was lying right at the dock alongside of us—why did you stop?”
“I thought it was you, Helena, who suggested this little adventure at Luigi’s! And I promise you I am enjoying it very much. It seems so much like old times.”
“But that can’t ever be over again, Harry.”
“Naturally not. But often new times are quite as good as old ones. I can conceive of such a thing in our case. No, I shall use this privilege of your society to the limit, Helena, fearing I may not see you soon again, after once I have put you back in your hat box. You coaxed me to leave the boat, and I shall tell you when to return.”