For a moment Jack was very nearly in a passion, but the anger went down as fast as it had arisen.

“Of course you don’t mean—— But, I say, what in the wide world made you think of such a thing? Polly married! No, nor like to be.”

“I heard that she was engaged.”

“To whom?”

“The Admiral’s nephew—Peirce.”

“Who told you the lie?”

“Then—it was a lie!”

“You might have known it. Who told you?”

“One whom I should have counted trustworthy.”

“When did you hear the tale?”