'So I might. Oh, what fun! Tell me how I'm to do it.'
He told her how to hollow her hands, and waited to enjoy the result, and, forgetful that the sea was salt she lifted the brine to her lips; but when she spat out the horrible mouthful and turned on him a questioning face, he only answered that if she didn't take care she would be the death of him.
'And didn't ums know the sea was salt, and did ums think it very nasty, and not half as nice as a brandy-and-soda?'
Kate watched him for a moment, and then her face clouded, and pouting her pretty lips, she said:
'Of course I don't pretend to be as clever as you, but if you'd never seen the sea until a week ago you might forget.'
'Yes, yes, for-for-get that it—it wasn't as nice as brandy-and-soda,' cried Montgomery, holding his sides.
'I wasn't going to say that, and it was very rude of you to interrupt me in that way.'
'Now come, don't get cross. You should understand a joke better than that,' he replied, for seeing the tears in her eyes he began to fear that he had spoilt the delight of their day.
'I think it is unkind of you to laugh at me and play tricks on me like that,' said Kate, trying to master her emotion; and as they walked under the sunset, Montgomery broke long and irritating silences by apologizing for his indiscretion, but Kate did not answer him until they arrived at a place where a little boy and girl were fishing for shrimps. Here there was quite a little lake, and amid the rocks and weedy stones the clear water flowed as it might in an aquarium, the liquid surface reflecting as perfectly as any mirror the sky's blue, with clouds going by and many delicate opal tints, and the forms of the children's plump limbs.
'Oh, how nice they look! What little dears!' exclaimed Kate, but as she pressed forward to watch the children her foot dislodged a young lobster from the corner of rock in which he had been hiding.