"She is right. Nobody can excuse themselves in a case like this. The only way is to say nothing at all."
He did not go near her for a long while. Then an idea came to him, so simple he wondered he had not thought of it before. He was not making the most of the situation. He glanced back at the helmsman. He was far back, behind the steering wheel, and the faint glow of the binnacle lamp was screened by a canvas hood. Mr. Spokesly bent over the girl again.
"You do not believe me?" he muttered. "You think I am not sincere? You think I would leave you?"
He leaned closer, watching her bright deriding eyes, and she nodded.
"Ah yes," she sighed. "By and by you would go."
"You think because other men do that ... you think...?"
She nodded emphatically.
"... all men alike?" he finished lamely.
"They are!" she said quickly and laid her head against his shoulder for a moment with a faint chuckle of laughter.
"All right," he whispered gravely, "they are, as you say. But when we get ashore in Athens, we will get married. Now then...."