She's a pretty precious article, according to your
estimate."
"Well, ain't she accordin' to yours?"
"Yes. Pretty precious and precious pretty. Look at her now."
They turned in time to catch a glimpse of the girl as she parted the
curtains and looked out on the road. She saw them looking at her,
smiled, blushed, and disappeared. Both men smoked in silence for a
moment. Then the captain said:
"Waitin'. Hi hum! nothin' like it, when you're waitin' for THE one, is
there?"
"No, nothing."
"Yup. Well, for a pair of old single hulks our age, strikes me we're
gettin' pretty sentimental. You say you wonder I'd trust Caroline to
another man; I wouldn't to the average one. But Jim Pearson's all right.
You'll say so, too, when you know him as well as I do."
"I'll trust your judgment, any time. So you won't tell Steve yet awhile
that he's not broke?"
"No. And Caroline won't tell him, either. Steve's doin' fust-rate as
he is. He's in the pickle tub and 'twill do him good to season a
spell longer. But I think he's goin' to be all right by and by. Say,
Sylvester, this New York cruise of mine turned out pretty good, after
all, didn't it?"
"Decidedly good. It was the making of your niece and nephew. Caroline
realizes it now; and so will Steve later on.
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