"I knew we should have this," I said.

"Well, it wasn't very polite of you, was it?"

"It wouldn't have been."

"She eyed me scornfully for a moment. Then:

"I'm disappointed in you," she said.

"You'll be more so in a moment," said I.

"Why?"

"You're not going to have a change, after all."

"Don't say you're going to make- "

"Love to you? Yes, I am."

She looked me up and down for a moment.

"And this is the man," she said slowly- "this is the man"

"Who said he was not in love with you, and that he didn't want
never to leave your side again. Yes, it is. I might have known
better than to say a thing like that. All the same, it wasn't
meant for a challenge, Mermaiden."

She looked at me with a mischievous smile."And now- "