[Illustration:  “‘It wouldn’t be nice to be buried at sea,’ remarked Mr. Chalk.”]

Mrs. Stobell’s eyes began to get large.  “I’m feeling quite well,” she gasped.

“Yes, dear,” said Mrs. Chalk, with a threatening glance at her husband.  “Of course, we know that.  But a voyage would do you good.  You can’t deny that.”

Mrs. Stobell, fumbling for her handkerchief, said in a tremulous voice that she had no wish to deny it.  Mr. Stobell, appealed to by the energetic Mrs. Chalk, admitted at once that it might do his wife good, but that it wouldn’t him.

“We’re going to be three jolly bachelors,” he declared, and, first nudging Mr. Chalk to attract his attention, deliberately winked at him.

“Oh, indeed!” exclaimed Mrs. Chalk, drawing herself up; “but you forget that I am coming.”

“Two jolly bachelors, then,” said the undaunted Stobell.

“No,” said Mrs. Chalk, shaking her head, “I am not going alone; if Mrs. Stobell can’t come I would sooner stay at home.”

Mr. Stobell’s face cleared; his mouth relaxed and his dull eyes got almost kindly.  With the idea of calling the attention of Mr. Chalk to the pleasing results of a little firmness he placed his foot upon that gentleman’s toe and bore heavily.

“Best place for you,” he said to Mrs. Chalk.  “There’s no place like home for ladies.  You can have each other to tea every day if you like.  In fact, there’s no reason——­” he paused and looked at his wife, half doubtful that he was conceding too much—­“there’s no reason why you shouldn’t sleep at each other’s sometimes.”

He helped himself to some cake and, rendered polite by good-nature, offered some to Mrs. Chalk.

“Mind, I shall not go unless Mrs. Stobell goes,” said the latter, waving the plate away impatiently; “that I am determined upon.”

Mr. Chalk, feeling that appearances required it, ventured on a mild—­a very mild—­remonstrance.

“And he,” continued Mrs. Chalk, sternly, indicating her husband with a nod, “doesn’t go without me—­not a single step, not an inch of the way.”

Mr. Chalk collapsed and sat staring at her in dismay.  Mr. Stobell, placing both hands on the table, pushed his chair back and eyed her disagreeably.

“It seems to me——­” he began.

“I know,” said Mrs. Chalk, speaking with some rapidity—­“I know just how it seems to you.  But that’s how it is.  If you want my husband to go you have got to have me too, and if you have me you have got to have your wife, and if——­”

“What, is there any more of you coming?” demanded Mr. Stobell, with great bitterness.

Mrs. Chalk ignored the question. “My husband wouldn’t be happy without me,” she said, primly.  “Would you, Thomas?”

“No,” said Mr. Chalk, with a gulp.

“We—­we’re going a long way,” said Mr. Stobell, after a long pause.

“Longer the better,” retorted Mrs. Chalk.