The two boys plunged in. O'Leary laughed and ran. He set her in the boat, jumped in himself, and they were off, leaving the two swains hip deep and helpless.
Isabelle turned smouldering eyes on the Captain.
"Cricket, my dear," said he, "I feel that there is an excess of Percy!"
"Cricket, don't be cross. It was only a joke to tease your beaux. They were funny, standin' there in their neat white flannels, weren't they now?"
They were received with a shout of delight from the boat. Haven met them at the rail and greeted Isabelle.
"Larry, you win!" he shouted, and they all shook hands with the Captain and beat him on the back.
"Major O'Dell bet Larry that he couldn't get you aboard and Larry took him."
"Major O'Dell, that wasn't fair," cried Isabelle.
They all stared at him, and she added with a chuckle:
"It happened just as we planned it, didn't it?"
"Did you put something up on me, O'Dell?" cried Larry. "Ye cheat--ye old pirate!"
He fell upon him, and a rough-and-tumble inaugurated the party. When O'Dell found a chance he joined Isabelle.
"You little witch!" he said. "Ye certainly made a booby of ole Larry. But don't you be coming between me and my best friend."
"I won't if he keeps out of my way," she blazed, "but I'm mad!"
"'Twas only a joke. We wanted ye to come. For my sake, be nice and funny, an' like yourself."
"All right," she answered amiably. "But you owe me something, if I am."
"It's mine already. I want my Chinese coat back."
"The man who found it asked every woman aboard and never thought of you, because--well--you're such a baby," he added, staring.
"What's that got to do with it? I went out in the corridor to get some air, and I went in the wrong door, by mistake. I took off my coat, and started to climb up to my berth, when the boat joggled, and I put my hand on _a moustache_! I was so scared that I ran off without my coat."
"What's the joke?" inquired Larry, joining them.
"It's a secret between Major O'Dell and me. On your sacred honour, Major, you won't tell," said Isabelle.
"Go away, O'Dell, and let me make my peace with the Cricket."
"Major O'Dell, you will stay, if you please."
True to her promise to O'Dell, she played up and kept them all amused, but she never so much as looked at Larry. Thoroughly annoyed, he devoted himself conspicuously to Mrs. Darlington and Miss Devoe. But he might have been in China for all the impression his flirtation made on Isabelle. They landed late in the afternoon, with the Bryce-O'Leary feud still on.