Louise shrugged her shoulders and made a gesture of finality.  “You are impossible, I fear,” she said and put aside—­not without a secret pang—­her interest in Lawford Tapp, an interest which had been developing since she first met the young man.

He allowed the subject to lapse and began telling her about the ledges on which the rock cod and tautog schooled; where bluefish might be caught on the line, and snappers in the channels going into the Haven.

“Good sport.  I must take you out in the Merry Andrew,” he said.  “She’s a peach of a sailer—­and my very own.”

“Oh! do you own the sloop, Mr. Tapp?”

“I guess I do!  And no money could buy her,” he cried with boyish enthusiasm.  “She’s the best lap-streak boat anywhere along the Cape.  And sail!”

“I love sailing,” she confessed, with brightening visage.

“Say!  You just set the day—­so it won’t conflict with your work—­and I’ll take you out,” he declared eagerly,

“But won’t it conflict with your duties?”

“Humph!” he returned.  “I thought your idea was that I didn’t have any duties.  However,” and he smiled again, “you need not worry about that.  When you want to go I will arrange everything so that I’ll have a free day.”

“But not alone, Mr. Tapp?”

“No,” he agreed gravely.  “I suppose that wouldn’t do.  But we can rake up a chaperon somewhere.”

“Oh, yes!” and Louise dimpled again.  “We’ll take Betty Gallup along.  She’s an able seaman, too.”

“I bet she is!” ejaculated Lawford with emphasis.

He handled the boat with excellent judgment, and his confidence caused Louise to see no peril when they ran almost on the edge of the maelstrom over Gull Rocks.  “I know this coast by heart,” he said.  “I believe there’s not one of them sailing out of the Haven who is a better pilot than I am.  At least, I’ve learned that outside of textbooks,” and he smiled at her.

Louise wondered how good an education this scion of a Cape Cod family really had secured.  The longer she was in his company the more she was amazed by his language and manners.  She noted, too, that he was much better dressed to-day.  His flannels were not new; indeed they were rather shabby.  But the garments’ original cost must have been prohibitive for a young man in his supposed position.  Very likely, however, they had been given him, second-hand, by some member of the family for which he worked.

The more she saw of him, and the more she thought about it, the greater was Louise’s disappointment in Lawford Tapp.  She was not exactly sorry she had come out with him in the motor boat; but her feeling toward him was distinctly different when she landed, from that which had been roused in her first acquaintance.

It was true he was not an idle young man—­not exactly.  But he betrayed an ability and a training that should already have raised him above his present situation in the social scale, as Louise understood it.  She was disappointed, and although she bade Lawford Tapp good-bye pleasantly she was secretly unhappy.