He stopped short, this wise young man, for he was on the verge of saying something very foolish, which might have jeopardised his chances with the Maori maiden, but the fruit was not yet ripe, so with wisdom beyond his years, he refrained from finishing his sentence.
"You've wished three times," said Miss Pethram calmly. "What is it about?"
"The wish?"
"Yes!"
"I wish that you may get a good chaperon."
"So do I, but I suppose they are as difficult to get as anything else. I'm afraid I'll be very hard to please. Of course, it's a difficult thing to choose a person to live with."
"Even in marriage."
Kaituna blushed, and folded up the paper in a somewhat embarrassed fashion.
"Marriage is a lottery," she said at length, with an attempt at lightness.
"I think I've heard that remark before."