“Let me introduce Doctor Johnson,” Stapleton said. “Johnson—Miss Hagerston.”
The doctor looked at her keenly, smiling as he raised his hat.
“Our common friend, Captain Preston, has several times mentioned your name,” he said. “Is he with you to-day?”
“Why, yes,” Yootha answered. “He was here a minute ago. Have you only just come aboard?”
“No, I have been here the whole afternoon, but for the last hour I have been what I suppose is called ‘’tween decks,’ settling the nation’s affairs with some of my cronies whom I don’t often have an opportunity of meeting,” and he smiled. “Stapleton tells me, Miss Hagerston, that you and Preston are engaged. May I be allowed to offer my congratulations? I should like to congratulate you both very sincerely.”
Yootha colored as she looked over his shoulder.
“Thank you so much,” she said. “I feel as if we had met before; Charlie has told me so much about you.”
“Well, though I have known him quite a short time, you will forgive my saying that I like him immensely. Yet, but for the unfortunate affair of that man’s death the other night, I suppose I should not have had the pleasure of meeting him, or possibly you. Ah, here he comes.”
For five minutes or more the three remained in conversation, though their talk was mostly commonplace. There were subjects all three would have liked to broach, but to have done so amid that entourage would have been impolitic.
“Yootha and I are dining tête-à-tête on my houseboat,” Preston said after a while. “If you are not engaged, couldn’t you join us—if you will take potluck? Do say you will, Johnson.”