"Yes, yes," accepted the marquise, "I know, my dear, I know. But you can not escape from the yacht except in a lifeboat, and if you _did_ it would be one of Robert's lifeboats! You must not be too formal with him." She tapped the nose of her Pekinese dog. "Be still, Mimi, _that_ man is only a sailor! and if he were not here and at his duty you would be drowned, you little goose!" The Pekinese dog was a new addition. Julia tried not to dislike her; for Julia, only Pitchouné existed. She could not touch Mimi without a sense of disloyalty. The boat cut the azure water with its delicate white body, the decks glistened like glass. The sailor at whom Mimi had barked passed out of sight, and far up in the bow Tremont, in white flannels, stood smoking. "I had to be very circumspect, my dear Julia, when I talked with Robert. You see you are not engaged to Monsieur de Sabron." The girl colored. "The sentimental woman in me," her aunt went on, "has responded to all your fantasies, but the practical woman in me calls me a romantic goose." "Ah," breathed Miss Redmond, opening her book, "_ma tante_, let me read." "Nonsense," said the marquise affectionately. "The most important part of the whole affair is that we are here--that we are en route to Algiers, is it not?" The girl extended her hand gratefully. "And thank you! Tell me, what did you say to him?" The marquise hummed a little tune, and softly pulled Mimi's ears. "Remember, my child, that if we find Monsieur de Sabron, the circumspection will have to be even greater still." "Leave that to me, _ma tante_." "You don't know," said the determined lady quite sweetly, "that he has the _slightest_ desire to marry you, Julia." Miss Redmond sat up in her chair, and flamed. "Do you want to make me miserable?" "I intend to let my worldly wisdom equal this emergency, Julia. I want Robert to have no suspicion of the facts." "How can we prevent it, _ma tante_?" "We can do so if you will obey me." The girl started, and her aunt, looking up at the Duc de Tremont where he stood in the bow, saw that he showed signs of finishing his smoke and of joining them. "_Ma tante_," said the girl quickly, "have you brought me here under false colors? Have you let him think..." "Hush, Julia, you are indebted to him for accomplishing your own desire." "But I would never, never..." "_Petite sotte_," cried the marquise, "then you would never have been on this yacht." Intensely troubled and annoyed, Julia asked in a low tone: "For heaven's sake, _ma tante_, tell me what the Duc de Tremont thinks!"