“You run along, Professor,” Richard laughed him aside. “You’ve done your job, but I’m looking out for the two ladies and the boy now. No! I won’t have you even find a customs man for me. I’m enjoying this. It’s the first time I’ve ever really handled a family. I’m feeling delightfully domestic—a brand-new experience—and I want to get the last morsel of enjoyment out of it.”
“Oh, very well,” Freneau had agreed with his adversary quickly; “that will be a great help, and I will toddle off and see to the other members of the party. Thank you so much.”
When all had been done that could be done the group sat about on trunks and bundles of rugs to await the heavier baggage, which was now being derricked out of the hold. Mrs. Wells on a pile of rugs spent the time chattering her farewells with the two other ladies who had made up the Freneau “party.” Walter sprawled beside Richard on a trunk, and watched the derrick pull up trunk after trunk. Geraldine had found a more or less comfortable suitcase. They could see the heavy baggage as it was being lifted out of the hold. Richard had managed his trip on a commodious handbag, which he had not permitted to go below in the hold. It was Walter’s job to watch for Wells’ trunks, black with an enormous white “W.”
A noisy insincere set of farewells were going off directly beside them. Richard and Geraldine exchanged glances which showed that they appreciated the banality of every effusive phrase.
“It’s might cosy,” she said, “to have you going right along with us to ‘Red Jacket.’”
The quietness of her tone and the sincerity of her straightforward gaze was in contrast to the noisy group breaking up beside them. And she not only meant it to convey a contrast but a sign also that she had given up her disapproval of his coming along.
“You don’t have to say that,” he said; “I know it.”
“How?”
“I sense it; you know I have cultivated all the senses in order to extract the last drop of elixir of life. I sensed you from the very beginning—not very well, I admit. I made some blunders there, but I got you essentially, nevertheless.”
“Got me? Sensed me?” she smiled up at him. “Excuse me for being amused. You talk as if you were a hound and I—a pheasant!”