"An' why were ye sittin' prayin' for fire with the gir-rl thremblin' and freezin' to death in yer ar-rms if ye knew so well how to be makin' one?"
"Hush—Dan," said Kate; for the fire of anger blew high.
McTee started.
"You know each other pretty well, eh?"
"Tut, tut!" said Harrigan airily. "You can't expect a slip of a girl to be calling a black man like you by the front name?"
McTee moistened his white lips. He rose.
"I'm going for a walk—I always do after eating."
And he strode off down the beach. Harrigan instantly secured a handful of the shellfish.
"Speakin' of salt," he said apologetically, "I'll have to try a couple of these to be sure that the captain's right. I can tell by a taste or two."
He pried open one of the shells and ate the contents hastily, keeping one eye askance against the return of McTee.