“You see me go out, did you, Beth?”
She nodded. “But I did not see you return.”
“I did sort of sneak out. What did you think of me for doing a thing like that?”
“I didn’t think very highly of you, if you want the honest truth,” she declared, releasing her arms from about his neck.
“You ain’t mad, are you, Beth?”
“Don’t you think I have a perfect right to get angry? It was the first time you ever left home without telling me good-bye. Should I like that?”
“I never thought of that. But this here cruise was like the proposing to the old maid: unexpected-like. For that reason I wa’n’t prepared for saying good-byes.” His eyes clouded as he slowly continued, “It’s a fact, I never went off afore without telling you good-bye. I don’t–––”
He stopped and looked down at the girl. She was no longer the child who had clung to him on the eve of departures for long cruises, asking, “Take me ’long, Unca Josi?” She had grown to womanhood! He wondered that the thought had not occurred to him before. And yet, as he continued to gaze, he saw the eager child staring up into his face from the big eyes.
“I cal’late I ain’t got no right to expect them partings no more,” he faltered.