"
"All right, go ahead then," said Mitchell; "go where we must go, and do
what you've got to do. My motto is veni, vidi, vici, which freely
translated means I can sleep asea when I can't sleep ashore."
"But Aunt Mary?" cried Jack blankly.
"She's all right," said Mitchell; "she'll soon reach the cold burnt toast
stage and when she reaches the stage we'll all welcome her into any
chorus. Here's to choruses in general and one chorus girl in particular. I
haven't met her yet, but I shall know her when I do, for she will look at
me. Up to now they've all looked elsewhere and at other men. If my fortune
was only in my face it might draw some interest, but--"
"Lady Belle" careened violently and Clover went over backwards for the
second time with much in his wake.
"Oh, I say," said Mitchell, rising in disgust, "if you want everything on
the table at once why take it. Only I'm going on deck. After you've bathed
in the gravy you can have it. Ditto the other liquids. Jack and I are
going up to dance a hornpipe and sing for Burnett. He looked rather
ennuyed to me when we came down."
Along toward eight o'clock that night "Lady Belle" anchored somewhere in
the Sound and tugged vigorously at her cables all night.
With the dawn she headed back towards New York.
"As a success my entertainment has been a failure," said Mitchell to Jack
as they walked up and down the deck after breakfast; "but into each life
some rain must fall, and I offer myself as a sacrificial background to
Aunt Mary's glowing, living pictures of New York.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153