"If there had been, he'd have certainly picked me up," he evaded, rather lamely.
Ruth greeted him in her usual gay and gracious manner, but he sought in vain for any trace of the tenderness of the night before. She was on her guard again.
"How is my patient this morning?" she smiled.
"Fine," he answered. "If you ever want any recommendation as a nurse you can refer to me. Only I wouldn't give it," he added.
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because I want to be your only patient."
She hastened to get off perilous ground.
"I wonder what's keeping Mr. Parmalee this morning," she observed. "He's even more of a sleepy head than you are."
"Tired out, I guess," conjectured the captain. "This storm has used us all up pretty well."
Ruth summoned Namco and told him to knock on Mr. Parmalee's door. The Japanese was back in a minute.