His tone offended her, especially before Mrs.Dellenbaugh, who, although she spoke but seldom in public had a tongue of her own when she chose to use it.

She was not accustomed to being spoken to in so brusque a way.

She understood perfectly well the captain's covert meaning, but she did not intend either to let him see it or to lose her temper.
"Oh, not the slightest," she answered with a light laugh.

"I have no doubt that it will be the making of him to be with you.

Poor boy, he certainly needs a father's care." The captain winced in turn under the retort and his eyes flashed, but he made no reply.
Little Ellen had slipped out of the captain's lap during the colloquy.
She had noticed the change in her friend's tone, and, with a child's intuition, had seen that the harmony was in danger of being broken.