“Hush!” whispered Agnes. “She is going to turn around.”
“Then I bet the earth stops whirling on its axis, and the moon follows Miss Hastings’ course. She is going to play hob with the next tide.”
“Do be still!” commanded Agnes, worriedly. “I had no idea she was Miss Hastings. And how I looked at her!”
Neale coughed behind his hand. “You looked at her just now as though you felt yourself to be quite as good as she is. Have you had a change of heart, Aggie?”
“Do behave!” commanded Agnes again, and now she was really angry. “I had no idea! If she gives me another chance——”
“Help! Help!” crowed Neale. “Ath-thith-tance, pleathe!”
“Now, don’t be common, Neale O’Neil!” hissed Agnes angrily, prettier than usual when her cheeks flamed so.
She smiled very winningly and looked straight into Nalbro Hastings’ eyes as the latter came down the deck again. The daughter of the Back Bay millionaire was not unattractive herself. And she was dressed in the very best of taste. But she was not a person to gain unbounded admiration.
She looked coolly at Agnes in return. She must have noticed the change in the Kenway girl’s expression since she had passed her and Neale before. As Agnes smiled and bowed Nalbro Hastings returned the greeting with the very faintest of nods and walked on immediately as though having no desire to improve shipboard acquaintance.
Neale began to shiver and his teeth chattered. Agnes stared at him sternly.