Charlie became wise at last, and stopped her impudent mouth effectively; but she broke from him and ran into the woods, while he went down to the village to tell Adams.
Meanwhile Daniel McCoy led Sarah Quintal by a round-about path to the cliffs above Pitcairn.
Pretty little Sarah was timid, and had a vague suspicion of something that caused her heart to flutter.
“I say, Sarah,” said the bold and stalwart Dan, “did you ever see such a jolly couple as Toc and his wife before?”
“I never saw any couple before, you know,” replied the girl, simply, “except father Adams and his wife.”
“Well, they are an oldish couple,” returned Dan, with a laugh; “but it’s my opinion that before long you’ll see a good many more couples—young ones, too.”
“Indeed,” said Sarah, becoming much interested, for this was the first time that any young man had ventured to refer to such a subject, though she and her female companions had often canvassed the possibilities that surrounded them.
“Yes, indeed,” returned Dan. “Let me see, now. There’s Charlie Christian and Otaheitan Sally—”
“Why, how did you come to know that?” asked Sarah, in genuine surprise.
Dan laughed heartily. “Come to know what?” he asked.