“No doubt, papa,” said Miss Dove, “that this pleasant and instructive visit will enlighten us a good deal.”
“I do believe it will, my dear,” said her father, thoughtfully.
“I wish,” said Miss Dove, “that we could address our friends by their names. May we, however,” turning towards the mariner, “venture to beg of the—captain, to tell us how he and the lady liked their voyage?”
Captain Link having bowed in recognition of Miss Dove’s guess as to his rank proceeded to state that, although he had often crossed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, besides having been round the world more than once, yet he had not, until that day, ever been up in a balloon, nor had the young lady, whose acquaintance he had but recently made in a most romantic manner, in fact, they were both much indebted to the aeronaut for their first aerial journey, but seeing the aeronaut frowning at this injudicious communication, he must beg to be excused from saying anything further.
“Oh, no,” cried Miss Dove, “that is too bad, captain—why, your story was just becoming so interesting.”
“Indeed, you will vastly disappoint us, captain, unless you proceed,” said the squire. “We are on the tiptoe of expectation to profit by every word that either of you might utter.”
“Besides, we may never have another chance, papa!” said Miss Dove, anxiously.
“No, indeed, for such visits may be, like angels’, few and far between, so you must finish up, captain,” cried the squire, “for I tell you candidly that we are already under a spell. All that you say leads us to regard you as aerial messengers with the best of intentions, telling us something for our good. I beg of you to continue.”
“Well, then, if I must do so, I may as well tell you that this young lady had been acquainted with a gentleman who was not of the ancient knightly order; on the contrary, he had been most heartless, unfair and cruel to her, so that, when my friend there told me of the way the said gentleman had behaved, I felt as if I should like to take up the cudgels for the injured one, and while thinking so, he most unexpectedly turned up but made off immediately afterwards, and well he did so, for an officious detective was after him. Now, would you believe it, not so many hours ago, this so-called astute officer suddenly attempted to arrest me, believing that I was this suspected person—whose name I need not mention.”
“Are you listening, Edith? Pay attention. There might have been some personal resemblance. The captain admits that,” said Squire Dove.