"Good-bye, Olivia," she said; and she dived sidewise, and came up again, and was swimming easily.
The launch stood in nearer to the schooner, and Olivia staggered as they turned; but she got her balance, and once more stood straight. And the launch began to twist and double and turn in loops and circles, faster and faster. Olivia stood upright for two or three turns, then she began to sway; and she saw that it was the beginning of the end, and she stooped quickly, and swung her arms low, then high above her head, and she gave a spring backward, and turned a half-somersault—and a little more.
"Good!" cried Captain Fergus. "A pretty backward dive! Olivia's a good swimmer—capital. Almost as good as Elizabeth." He turned to us. "Just wait until you see Elizabeth do some of her stunts. Have you ever seen her?"
I smiled and shook my head. "Miss Radnor seems an extremely competent person—in many ways."
Captain Fergus looked sharply at me for an instant, then he chuckled as though there was a good joke somewhere within hail.
"So she is," he said; "so she is, very competent. She's an able seaman. Elizabeth's a great favorite of mine, rather more of a favorite than—"
"Dick!" said Mrs. Fergus warningly.
"Eh?" He turned to Mrs. Fergus, and smiled the smile that crinkled all about his pleasant eyes. His eyes smiled too, those eyes of deepest blue. "I wasn't going to say anything imprudent, Marian, only that Elizabeth is rather more of a favorite than some others that I could name. Oh, I'm not going to call any names, Marian. You needn't be scared. Marian's always afraid," he said to Eve and me, "that I'm going to be indiscreet, and I've never in my life been indiscreet. Have I, Marian?"
Mrs. Fergus laughed. "How should I know? I've no doubt that you have been, many times. You aren't politic, Dick."
"Heaven save us!" said Captain Fergus under his breath. "I hope not. Neither are you, Marian. I don't know of anybody less politic than you."