"One moment, Bobby," I said. "Tell me, Elizabeth, did the Rattlesnake spring so suddenly?"
She smiled and glanced at Bobby. "Oh, we had seen her before. That was why Puk was wanting the topsail. He wanted to see if we could beat her."
"Oh," said I, and I looked at Bobby, who squirmed as a caterpillar on a stick.
"We happened to be near," he said. He spoke calmly enough, but I saw that he was very uncomfortable. "I thought I ought to come, for Pukkie was very wet, and I wanted to be sure he was all right. Miss Radnor had rather a nasty time getting him clear of that sail."
"Bobby!" said Elizabeth warningly. And suddenly she smiled as if she was much amused at something, perhaps at Bobby.
"Bobby," said Eve softly, "it was very good of you. Did Elizabeth save Pukkie's life?"
"I'm not sure," Bobby answered slowly, "that Pukkie's life was in danger, but I'm not sure that it was not."
Eve clasped Pukkie to her, wet as he was. I would have done the same.
"Bobby," Eve said again, looking up at him, "was there no one else that was very wet? I'm ashamed of you." She had spoken low.