“It is the drilling, Mrs. Lechmere. Yes,
it is wonderful how much drill does for a man; and
there is a good deal in the cut of the clothes.
You see, there is not much difference in the material,
but George’s were made at a good tailor’s
in London, and I suppose Bob’s were made down
here.”
Mallett stayed for a few minutes chatting at the gate
with Bob, and then, saying that he would certainly
come in again before he went up to town, started on
a round of calls.
“And so you have bought a yacht, Major Mallett?”
“Yes; at least she is scarcely a yacht yet.
I was going to have one built, but I heard of one
that had been ordered by Lord Haverstock, who, they
say, has been so hard hit at the Derby that he had
to tell Wanhill, the builder, that he could not take
her. As the season was getting rather late, the
man was glad to sell her a bargain, especially as
he had already got a thousand pounds towards her;
so I got her for twelve hundred less that Haverstock
was to have paid. It suited me admirably, for
he has engaged to finish her in six weeks. She
is just about the size I wanted, 120 tons, and looks
as if she would turn out fast, and a good sea boat.
Of course, I shall race a bit with her next year,
though I have bought her more for cruising.
“I hope that you and Lady Greendale will favour
me with your company, on her first cruise after the
season ends. I know it is of no use asking before
that.”
“I should like it immensely, Major Mallett.
It would be delightful. How many can you carry?”
“Eight comfortably. The ladies’ cabin
has four berths, but will be only really comfortable
for three; and there are four other state cabins—that
is, three besides my own, but one of them has two
berths. Of course, I could put up three or four
others in the saloon for a couple of days, but for
a cruise of three weeks or a month it would be too
many for comfort. We could not seat that number
at table without crowding, and I doubt whether the
cooking arrangements would be altogether satisfactory.
“Of course, we shall want two more ladies.
I will leave the selection of those to you and Lady
Greendale, for, except yourselves, I know no ladies;
though, of course, I could get plenty of men.”
“That will be delightful,” Bertha said;
“but I dare say that by the time the season
is over you will know plenty of ladies that you can
ask. You see, you have met so many people here
now that, as you have just been grumbling discontentedly,
you are out nearly every night.”
“Yes,” he laughed. “At present,
you see, I am regarded rather as an Indian lion; but
I shall bid goodbye to London as soon as the yacht
is afloat.”
“What is her name to be?”
“I have not given it a thought, yet. I
only bought her two days ago. It seems to me
that it is almost as hard to fix on a name for a yacht
as for a race horse.”
