“You didn't think I could stay away, did you?”
“But how did you know I was here? I tried so hard to keep it a secret.”
“It took me a month, but I worked it out finally. Aren't you glad to see me?”
She burst out crying then, quiet, but as if her heart was broke.
“Oh!” she sobs. “How could you be so cruel! And they've been so kind to me here.”
I went away then, thinking harder than ever. At dinner Jonesy done the waiting, but Mabel wa'n't on deck. She had a headache, the cook said, and was lying down. 'Twas the same way at supper, and after supper Peter Brown comes to me, all broke up, and says he:
“There's merry clink to pay,” he says. “Mabel's going to leave.”
“No?” says I. “She ain't neither!”
“Yes, she is. She says she's going to-morrer. She won't tell me why, and I've argued with her for two hours. She's going to quit, and I'd rather enough sight quit myself. What'll we do?” says he.
I couldn't help him none, and he went away, moping and miserable. All round the place everybody was talking about the “lovely” new waiter, and to hear the girls go on you'd think the Prince of Wales had landed. Jonadab was the only kicker, and he said 'twas bad enough afore, but now that new dude had shipped, 'twa'n't the place for a decent, self-respecting man.