She smiled at him.

The smile seemed to say to the Cap'n: "You ridiculous old dear, you! You KNOW that's what you were going to advise, so why deny it?
I've found you out, but we both might just as well be good-humored about it, mightn't we ?" "Ma'am," said the Cap'n, evidently struggling between a suddenly born desire to quit frowning and a sense that he had a perfect right to frown as much as he wished, "Ma'am, if you was to ask me, I'd say ridin' on steamships and ridin' on sailin' vessels is two different matters entirely." "Cap'n Abernethy," said Cleggett, attempting to indicate that his sailing master's advice was not absolutely required, "if you have something to say to me, perhaps later will do just as well." "As fur as the Jasper B.is concerned," said the Cap'n, ignoring Cleggett's remark, and still addressing the lady, "I dunno as you could call her EITHER a sailin' vessel, OR a steamship, as at present constituted." "You want to get me off your boat at once," said the lady.

"You know you do." And her manner added: "CAN'T you act like a good-natured old dear?
You really are one, you know!" The Cap'n became embarrassed.

He began to fuss with his necktie, as if tying it tighter would assist him to hold on to his frown.

He felt the frown slipping, but it was a point of honor with him to retain it.
"She WILL be a sailin' vessel when she gets her sticks into her," said the Cap'n, fumbling with his neckwear.
"Let me fix that for you," said the lady.