Mark looked sidewise at big Jim Finch, and grinned. "Over your head, eh,
Jim? Too damned bad!"
Finch grinned. "I had no wish for the place, sir. You see, I felt very
sure you would be coming back to your own."
Mark tilted back his head and laughed. "You were always a very cautious
man, Jim Finch. Never jumped till you were sure where you would land." He
wheeled on Joel. "Well, boy--how does it feel to wear long pants?"
Joel, holding his anger in check, said slowly: "We've done well. Close on
eight hundred barrel aboard."
Mark wagged his head in solemn reproof. "Joey, Joey, you've been fiddling
away your time. I can see that!"
Over his brother's shoulder, Joel saw the grinning face of big Jim Finch,
and his eyes hardened. He said quietly: "If that's your tone, Mark,
you'll call back your boat and go ashore."
A flame surged across Mark's cheek; and he took one swift, terrible step
toward his brother. But Joel did not give ground; and after a moment in
which their eyes clashed like swords, Mark relaxed, and laughed and bowed
low.
"I was wrong, grievously wrong, Captain Shore," he said sonorously. "I
neglected the respect due your office. Your high office, sir. I thank you
for reminding me of the--the proprieties, Captain." And he added, in a
different tone, "Now will you not invite me aft on your ship, sir?"
Joel hesitated for a bare instant, caught by a vague foreboding that he
could not explain. But in the end he nodded, as though in answer to the
unspoken question in his thoughts. "Will you come down into the cabin,
Mark?" he invited quietly. "I've much to ask you; and you must have many
things to tell."
Mark nodded. "I will come," he said; and his eyes lighted suddenly, and
he dropped a hand on Joel's shoulder. "Aye, Joel," he said softly, into
his brother's ear, as they went aft together. "Aye, I've much to tell.
Many things and marvelous. Matters you'd scarce credit, Joel." Joel
looked at him quickly, and Mark nodded. "True they are, Joel," he cried
exultantly. "Marvelous--and true as good, red gold."
At the tone, and the eager light in his brother's eyes, Joel's slow
pulses quickened, but he said nothing. At the top of the cabin companion,
he stepped aside to let Mark descend first; and Mark went down the steep
and awkward stair with the easy, sliding gait of a great cat. Joel,
behind him, could see the muscles stir and swell upon his shoulders. In
the cabin, Mark halted abruptly, and looked about, and exclaimed: "You've
changed things, Joel. I'd not know the ship."
The door into Priscilla's cabin, across the stern, was open. Priss had
finished that matter of the ribbon, and was watering her flowers,
kneeling on the bench, when she heard Mark's voice, and knew it. And she
cried, in surprise and joy: "Mark! Oh--Mark!" And she ran to the door,
and stood there, framed for Mark's eyes against the light behind her,
hands holding to the door frame on either side.
Mark cried delightedly: "Priss Holt!" And he was at her side in an
instant, and caught her without ceremony, and kissed her roundly, as he
had been accustomed to do when he came home from the sea. But he must
have been a blind man not to have seen in that first moment that Priss
was no longer child, but woman. And Mark was not blind. He kissed her
till she laughingly fought herself free.
"Mark!" she cried again. "You're not dead. I knew you couldn't be...."
Joel, behind them, at sight of Priscilla in his brother's arms, had
stirred with a quick rush of anger; but he was ashamed of it in the next
moment, and stood still where he was. Mark held Priss by the shoulders,
laughing down at her.
"And how did you know I couldn't be dead?" he demanded. "Miss Wise Lady."
She moved her head confusedly. "Oh--you were always so--so alive, or
something.... You just couldn't be...."
He chuckled, released her, and stood away and surveyed her. "Priss,
Priss," he said contritely, "you're not a little kid any longer. Dresses
down, and hair up...." He wagged his head. "It's a wonder you did not
slap my face." And then he looked from her to Joel, and abruptly he
tossed his great head back and laughed aloud. "By the Lord," he roared.
"The children are married. Married...."
Priscilla flushed furiously, and stamped her foot at him. "Of course
we're married," she cried. "Did you think I'd come clear around the world
with...." Her words were smothered in her own hot blushes, and Mark
laughed again, until she cried: "Stop it. I won't have you laughing at
us. Joel--make him stop!"
Mark sobered instantly, and he backed away from Joel in mock panic, both
hands raised, defensively, so that they laughed at him. When they
laughed, he cast aside his panic, and sat down on the cushions,
stretching his legs luxuriously before him. "Now," he exclaimed. "Tell me
all about it. When, and why, and how?"
Priss dropped on the bench beside him, feet tucked under her in the
miraculous fashion of small women; and she enumerated her answers on the
pink tips of her fingers. "When?" she repeated. "The day before we
sailed. Why? Just because. How? In the same old way." She waved her hand,
as though disposing of the matter once and for all, and looked up at him,
and laughed. Joel thought she had not seemed so completely happy since
the day the cabin was finished. "So," she said, "that's all there is to
tell you about us. Tell us about you."
Mark's eyes twinkled. "Ah, now, what's the use? That will come later.
Besides--some chapters are not for gentle ears." He nodded toward Joel.
"So you love the boy, yonder?"
Priss bobbed her head, red lips pursed, eyes dancing.
"Why?" Mark demanded. "What do you discover in him?"
She looked at Joel, and they laughed together as though at some
delightful secret, mutually shared. Mark wagged his head dolorously. "And
I suppose he's wild about you?" he asked.
She nodded more vigorously than ever.
Mark rubbed his hands together. He looked at Joel, with a faintly
malicious twinkle in his eyes. "Well, now!" he exclaimed. "That is
certainly the best of news...." Joel saw the mocking and malignant little
devil in his eye. "I've never had a kid sister," said Mark gayly. "And
it's been the great sorrow of my life, Priss. So, Joel, you must expect
Priss and myself to turn out the very best of friends."
And Priscilla, on the seat beside him, nodded her lovely head once more.
"I should say so," she exclaimed.