Neither interfered in the least; for the old soldier was
too familiar with discipline to venture an opinion concerning the
management of the ship. When we met at dinner, however, the
conversation naturally turned on the disappearance of our old friend.
"It is a thousand pities that pride should have prevented Marble from
acknowledging his mistake," observed the Major, "and thus kept him
from getting a safe passage to Canton, where he might have left you,
and joined another ship had he thought it necessary."
"Where we shall do the same thing, I suppose, dear sir," added Emily,
with a manner that I thought marked, "and thus relieve Captain
Wallingford from the encumbrance of our presence."
"Me!--call your delightful society anything but an enumbrance, I beg
of you, Miss Merton," I rejoined in haste.
"Now, that Mr. Le Compte has furnished this comfortable cabin, and you
are no longer at any inconvenience to yourselves, I would not be
deprived of the advantage and pleasure of this association, for more
than I dare mention."
Emily looked gratified; while her father appeared to me to be
thoughtful. After a brief pause, however, the Major resumed the
discourse.
"I should certainly feel myself bound to make many apologies for the
trouble we are giving," he said, "especially, since I understand from
Wallingford, he will not accept, either for himself or his owners,
anything like compensation even for the food we consume, were it not
that we are here by constraint, and not by any agency of our own.
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