‘How can we, when mother won’t hear of it? She says everything must remain _in statu quo_ until she sees my father. I believe she is half sorry I have broken with Jack Blythe. She is always extolling his bravery and courage to the skies, because he jumped in the sea after baby. I wish,’ continued Alice, with a suspicious moisture in her blue eyes, ‘I do wish, Robert, that _you_ had been the one to save her. Then mother would have thought nothing too good for _you_.’ ‘Oh, my darling! don’t you believe I _would_ have done so if Blythe had not forestalled me? I was looking after _you_, you know; and it would have been of no use _two_ of us jumping into the water at the same time--would it, now?’ ‘No, I suppose not,’ replied Alice, with a sigh; ‘but baby is all the world to mother.’ ‘Then she will have the less trouble in making up her mind to part with you, Alice! I have been half afraid to speak openly to you since that interview with Mrs Leyton. She seemed so dead set against my suit. But I think we ought to understand each other. The matter really concerns only you and me, and I want to have something definite to say to your father when I meet him. Tell me the truth, then. Do you love me?’ ‘Oh, Robert! I think you _know_ I do,’ whispered Alice. ‘Better than you loved Mr Blythe?’ ‘I don’t think now that I ever really loved him. I _liked_ him very much. He is a dear, good fellow. I like him still, but I feel I could never _marry_ him.’ ‘And could you marry _me_, darling?’ Alice’s blushes spoke for her. She was not much more than a child in years, but her womanhood was born at that moment, and she felt her heart leaping in mighty throbs to welcome it. But her tongue refused to utter the thoughts that were surging in her brain. ‘Can’t you speak to me?’ pleaded Captain Lovell presently. ‘Just say, “Robert, I love you, and I will be your wife,” and my heart will be at rest for ever more.’ Alice turned her big blue eyes suddenly upon him. ‘I love you,’ she said rapidly, ‘and I will be your wife.’ And then, as if frightened at the sound of her own boldness, she flushed scarlet from brow to bosom, and the tears rushed to her eyes. Lovell thought he had never seen her look so pretty as when she stood thus, burning with love and shame, before him. ‘My darling!’ he exclaimed, ‘how I wish that I could kiss you! But a hundred eyes are on us, and I can only thank you for your consent by word of mouth. Thank you a thousand times, my wife that is to be! I shall be as brave as a lion, Alice, with your sweet promise to urge me on. And now, let the people say what they choose. We _are_ engaged to one another, and no one can part us, unless your father does. So let us be as happy as we can till we reach New Zealand, and not anticipate an evil that may never come.’ ‘Here are Miss Vere and Mr Fowler. Talk of something else,’ said Alice, in a fearful whisper.