_Roumelia_ resented this aspersion upon her son. She shot Mr. Blumpitty forward with extreme violence, and he, entirely without volition, found himself going on deck. But perhaps the same force that took him up brought him down and put him to bed, for Hildegarde saw him no more. Over her further descent into that part of the ship she had been intended to occupy, it is considerate to draw a veil. She reappeared like a mourner at a funeral, following at Ruth’s side in the wake of a figure borne on a mattress between a steward and the giant. The prostrate form of poor Mis’ Bumble Bee, speechless, blind, deaf, was laid in the one sheltered corner of the deck. Ruth, very weak and unsteady, went back to that fetid under-world that beggared description, ministering to miserable men and women lying helpless on shelves, tier above tier to the ceiling. Even to be down there for five minutes was a thing to be remembered shuddering as long as one lived. After putting her cushion under Mrs. Blumpitty’s head, Hildegarde glanced round. “Lookin’ fur the purser?” said Mr. Isaiah Joslin, grinning and holding on to a stanchion. “No,” said Hildegarde, with some dignity. Mr. Joslin accepted a graver view of life’s possibilities. “That feller’ll get a thrashin’ if he don’t look out.” “The purser?” “Yep.” “Why—who will—?” “That man up there’ll be attendin’ to it.” Mr. Joslin nodded toward the bridge. The Arctic Cap was scanning the misty world through Captain Gillies’ glass. “Why should he? Besides, I thought he was an invalid.” “Wa-al, maybe that’s it. P’raps he thinks it’d be good fur his health.” “What would?” “W’y wallopin’ the purser.” “What’s _he_ got against the purser?” “_Says_ he don’t like the color of his hair. But as the purser ain’t got no hair, it’s my private opinion the gentleman up there don’t like his fascinatin’ ways.” He looked significantly at the tall girl. Hildegarde bent down to tuck the tartan round Mrs. Blumpitty. Now, why on earth should the Arctic Cap care how the purser behaved to—other people? CHAPTER XVIII