"Ah!"
"Yes," continued Wharton, indifferently; "I ate up her first husband; he was a splendid fellow."
Saying which he opened the carriage door and assisted the ladies on board the boat. Clary, as she stood on deck, noticed a gold-colored flag flying from a staff.
"What does the color of that flag mean?" she asked.
"Ah, my lady, as our commodore has gold blond hair, I permitted myself to hoist up flags of the same color."
"Well, I must say," said Madame Caraman, "that beats Sir Walter Raleigh's gallantry; you know he placed his gold-embroidered mantle in the mud for Queen Elizabeth to walk upon."
At this moment a tall, lean figure as graceful as a mast loomed up on deck.
"Mrs. Wharton," said the captain, proudly.
Clary and her governess shuddered as they looked at Mrs. Wharton.