‘You are always so d——­ upsetting,’ said Dick, ’that no one can speak to you.’  Then Dick turned away, and there was nothing more said about Mrs. Smith on that occasion.

The next to try her hand was Mrs. Callander.  By this time the passengers had become familiar with the ship, and knew what they might and what they might not do.  The second-class passengers were not often found intruding across the bar, but the first-class frequently made visits to their friends amidships.  In this way Mrs. Callander had become acquainted with our two gold-seekers, and often found herself in conversation with one or the other.  Even Miss Green, as has been stated before, would come and gaze upon the waves from the inferior part of the deck.

‘What a very nice voyage we are having, Mr. Caldigate,’ Mrs. Callander said one afternoon.

’Yes, indeed.  It is getting a little cold now, but we shall enjoy that after all the heat.’

’Quite so; only I suppose it will be very cold when we get quite south.  You still find yourself tolerably comfortable.’

‘I shall be glad to have it over,’ said Caldigate, who had in truth become disgusted with Dick’s snoring.

’I daresay,—­I am sure we shall.  My young people are getting very tired of it.  Children, when they are accustomed to every comfort on shore, of course feel it grievously.  I suppose you are rather crowded?’

’Of course we are crowded.  One can’t have a twenty-foot square room on board ship.’

’No, indeed.  But then you are with your friend, and that is much pleasanter than a stranger.’

‘That would depend on whether the stranger snored, Mrs. Callander.’

’Don’t talk of snoring, Mr. Caldigate.  If you only heard Mr. Callander!  But, as I was saying, you must have some very queer characters down there.’  She had not been saying anything of the kind, but she found a difficulty in introducing her subject.

’Take them altogether, they are a very decent, pleasant, well-mannered set of people, and all of them in earnest about their future lives.’

‘Poor creatures!  But I dare say they’re very good.’  Then she paused a moment, and looked into his face.  She had undertaken a duty, and she was not the woman to shrink from it.  So she told herself at that moment.  And yet she was very much afraid of him as she saw the squareness of his forehead, and the set of his mouth.  And there was a frown across his brow, as though he were preparing himself to fight.  ’You must have found it hard to accommodate yourselves to them, Mr. Caldigate?’

‘Not at all.’

‘Of course we all know that you are a gentleman.’

’I am much obliged to you; but I do not know any word that requires a definition so much as that.  I am going to work hard to earn my bread; and I suppose these people are going to do the same.’

‘There always will be some danger in such society,’ said Mrs. Callander.