Ten Eyck had not expected Persis and Willie to join this hot and foolish mob. But he felt a hand seize his arm. He turned and looked into Persis' eyes. She welcomed him as a rescuer, but it was Willie that urged him to sit with them. Ten Eyck's hesitation was misconstrued by Persis. She said:
"Perhaps he is—er—not alone."
"Oh yes, I am," Ten Eyck hastened to say. "I'll join you." And he went with them to an upper box. Even Ten Eyck felt a little shy.
Persis and Willie knew what he was thinking, and they were like a pair of youngsters caught spooning. Only their misdemeanor was that they had been caught not spooning. Ten Eyck ventured to speak.
"So the penance is over already? I thought you two doves were still on the ark."
"We are, officially," said Persis.
Ten Eyck wanted to help them out, so he said:
"What's the matter? Did the yacht puncture a tire or lose a shoe or—"
Willie attempted to carry along the idea by saying:
"It was trouble with the sparker." And he did not understand why Persis blushed and Ten Eyck blurted.