She looked far out over the harbor for a minute, a tinge of red running to her ears.
"A handkerchief would be too small, wouldn't it?" she asked.
"I'm afraid so," he answered glumly.
Soon afterward she left him and went to the cave, bidding him to await her return. When she came back she carried in her hand a broad piece of white cloth, which she laid before him on the grass. There was a look of modest reluctance in her eyes when he glanced quickly up at them. A cherished underskirt, ripped ruthlessly from waistband to ruffle, making one broad white flag of the finest texture, was her offering.
"Use that, Hugh." She could not resist smiling as she pointed to it.
"It will be the very thing," he said, arising and taking the garment from the ground somewhat carefully.
"It won't hurt you," she said, laughing frankly; whereupon he waved it rudely above his head and pointed to the pinnacle of the rock.
"With this I shall scale the rock and skirt the bay!"
Within ten minutes he was on his way up the incline, carrying his stout stick in his hand, another heavier and stronger one being bound to his back with the white signal attached. She accompanied him to the point where the ascent became difficult and full of danger.
"Be careful, Hugh," she said; "it looks so dangerous. If you find there is any possibility of falling, don't attempt to go to the top. You are so daring, you Americans, that you do not recognize peril at all Promise me, or I shall not allow you to go on."