You will laugh when I tell you the one particular resource we fell back upon." "Bid me to laugh, and I will laugh," said John.
"Euchre!" she said, looking at him defiantly.

"Two-handed euchre! We have played, as nearly as I can estimate, fifteen hundred games, in which he has held both bowers and the ace of trumps--or something equally victorious--I should say fourteen hundred times.

Oh!" she cried, with an expression of loathing, "may I never, never, never see a card again as long as I live!" John laughed without restraint, and after a petulant little _moue_ she joined him.
"May I light up my pipe ?" he said.

"I will get to leeward." "I shall not mind in the least," she assented.
"By the way," he asked, "does Mr.Carling smoke ?" "He used to," she replied, "and while we were with the Nollises he smoked every day, but after we left them he fell back into the notion that it was bad for him." John filled and lighted his pipe in silence, and after a satisfactory puff or two said: "Will Mr.Carling go in to dinner to-night ?" "Yes," she replied, "I think he will if it is no rougher than at present." "It will probably be smoother," said John.

"You must introduce me to him--" "Oh," she interrupted, "of course, but it will hardly be necessary, as Alice and I have spoken so often to him of you--" "I was going to say," John resumed, "that he may possibly let me take him off your hands a little, and after dinner will be the best time.