The sailor smiled genially at his nephew, and his nephew regarded him in solemn silence. The doctor coughed, so did the parson.
The sea develops to a remarkable degree the English trait of persistence. Nothing short of a twelve-inch shell would have diverted Jack's uncle from his "chaff."
"In these cases, Jack, there's nothing like striking when the iron's hot," he continued.
The doctor and the parson were distinctly ill at ease, the sailor was happy, the young engineer quite calm. He puffed away slowly at his cigar while the sailor looked laughingly into his eyes.
"I perceive, uncle," Jack said, at length, "that it's possible to be a fool and a man at the same time."
All three men burst into a hearty laugh, the sailor leading.
Next day Bessie was about again, and Jack met her on the lawn. Her dimples were as deep as ever and her hair as rebellious. She held out her hand, "Thanks very much for pulling me out, Jack," she said.
"Oh! it's alright," he answered.
God, in His wisdom, has denied speech to the English, but has specially endowed them with feeling.
They played tennis again and went down and looked at the place where she fell in.