“And we have got to be back by ten o’clock,” grumbled Nanny.
“Always kicking, always finding trouble,” sighed Joy, with a doleful shake of the head. “Why can’t you be peaceable and contented like me, youngster? It’s painful to a man of meek and lowly spirit to see such contention and strife. If you don’t like the way they conduct liberty on this ship, why don’t you knock the blooming head off the executive officer? Act with due humility and beat the face off the captain.”
The others laughed. They understood Joy.
“I say, Clif, look there,” suddenly spoke up Trolley. “Here comes what you call peach.”
He nodded his head toward a couple of young ladies who were approaching from aft. They had formed part of a visiting party from shore and were strolling about the deck intent on inspecting the ship after their own fashion.
Both were very pretty, but one, a tall and rather willowy brunette, was particularly handsome. A wealth of lustrous black hair fell to her shoulders; her eyes were large and sparkling, and her lips, half parted, showed two rows of regular, pearly teeth.
She was smiling at something her companion had said as they neared the group of plebes, and the boys fairly gasped at her loveliness.
Clif eyed her furtively, his heart beating more rapidly than usual. His expressive countenance proclaimed his strong admiration, and that must have been the reason why the beautiful girl blushed slightly as she met his ardent gaze.
The girls stopped at the forecastle railing and looked over at the diver boys below.
They laughed, and one—the lovelier of the two—held up a small coin.