“That is what I have wanted,” he said, “almost from the beginning, and I want it more than ever now.  I am getting to be an old fellow, and I want to see her settled before I sail.”

“You know, John,” said the lieutenant, “that I find Olive is a little more of a girl of her own mind than she used to be.  I don’t believe she would rest quietly under the housekeeping of a girl so nearly her own age.”

The captain gave some vigorous puffs.  “I should think not!” he said to himself.  “Olive would have that young woman swabbing the decks before they had been out three days!  You are right,” said he aloud, “but we must all look out that Olive does not hear anything about this.”

It was not until they were continuing their bridal trip that Lieutenant Asher considered the subject of mentioning Dick Lancaster to his wife.  Then, after considering it, he concluded not to do it.  In the first place, he knew that he was getting to be a little bit elderly, and he did not care about discussing the perfections of the young man who had been selected as a suitable partner for his wife’s school friend.  This was all very foolish, of course, but people often are very foolish.

Thus it was that Olive Asher never heard of the tripartite alliance between her father, her uncle, and her good friend at Broadstone.

When Captain Asher learned, a few days after his brother had left, that the Broadstone family had gone to the seashore, he sat reflectively and asked himself if he were doing the right thing by Olive.  The season was well advanced; it was getting very hot at the toll-gate, and at many other gates in that region; and this navy girl ought to have a breath of fresh air.  It is wonderful that he had not thought of it before!

At breakfast the next morning Olive stopped pouring coffee when he told her his plans to go to the sea.

“With you, Uncle John!” she cried.  “That would be better than anything in the world!  You sail a boat?” she asked inquiringly.

“Sail a boat!” roared the captain.  “I have a great mind to kick over this table!  My dear, I can sail a boat, keel uppermost, if the water’s deep enough!  Sail a boat!” he repeated.  “I sailed a catboat from Boston to Egg Harbor before your mother was born.  By the way, you seem very anxious about boat sailing.  Are you afraid of the water?”

She laughed gaily.  “I deserve that,” she said, “and I accept it.  But perhaps I have done something that you never did.  I have sailed a felucca.”

“Very good,” said the captain; “if there’s a felucca where we’re going you can sail me in one.”

They went to a Virginia seaside resort, these two, and left old Jane in charge of the toll-gate.

Early in the day after they arrived they went out to engage a boat.  When they found one which suited the captain’s critical eye, he said to the owner thereof:  “I will take her for the morning, but I don’t want anybody to sail me.  I will do that myself.”