couldn't."

"Try displacement."

"Thank you. It was off just such an one that I was cast away two
years ago come Michaelmas. We were just standing by in the
offing, when she sterruck with a grinding crash. There was a
matter of seventy souls aboard, and I shall never forget the look
on the captain's face as the ship's cat stole his place in the
stern-sheets of the jolly-boat. I was thrown up on a desert
island, I was. You ought to have seen me milking the goats on
Spyglass Hill."

"Did you wear a goatskin cap?"

"Did I Not!" And two muskets. But my snake belt was the great
thing. You see- "

"Which reminds me- I think it's about time I got civilized
again."

"Not yet, Mermaid," I pleaded; "the sun is yet high."

"You don't suppose I'm going to stay here all day, do you? We're
not on your precious island now."

"I only wish we were. I had my loaf of bread and jug of wine all
right, but the one thing I wanted, Mermaid, was- "

"A woman to keep him company without thinking he wanted to kiss