"How exciting! But you're not going to browbeat me as you did poor papa when you had him on the stand?" said Miss Wayne, exploring the gnarled old face with soft eyes. "Browbeat the court!" cried the legal light (who had frequently done that very thing). "You're the tribunal of highest jurisdiction in this case." "Then I must look very solemn and judicial." Which she proceeded to do with such ravishing effect that three young men approaching from the opposite direction lost all control of their steering-gear and were precipitated into the scuppers by the slow tilt of a languid ground-swell. "If you must, you must," allowed the judge, "though," he added with a glance at the struggling group, "it's rather dangerous. I'm approaching you," he continued, "on behalf of a client suddenly stricken dumb." Miss Wayne's shapely nose elevated itself to a marked angle. "I don't think I want to hear about him," she observed coldly. "He's in dire distress over his affliction." "I have troubles of my own. I'm deaf." "Then suppose I should express to you in the sign language that my client--" "I don't want to hear it--see it--know anything about it." The amount of determination which Miss Wayne's chin contrived to express seemed quite incompatible with the adorable dimple nestling in the center thereof. "Must I return the fee, then?" "What fee?" "The victim of this sudden misfortune has retained me--" "To act as go-between?" "Well, no; not precisely. But to represent him in all matters of import on this voyage. On two occasions he has paid over the sum of five dollars. I never work for nothing. Would you deprive a superannuated lawyer of the most promising chance to earn an honest penny which has presented itself in a year?" "Poor old gentleman!" she laughed. "Far be it from me to ruin your prospects. But if Mr. Daddle--if your client," pursued the girl with heightened color, "has anything to say to me, he'd best say it himself." "As I have already explained to the learned court, he can't. He's dumb." "Why is he dumb?" "Ah! What an ally is curiosity! My unhappy client is dumb by order." "Whose order?" "The captain's." "Has the captain told him he mustn't speak?" "To you." All of Miss Wayne's dimples sprang to their places and stood at attention. "How lovely! What for? I'll make him." "Ah! What an ally is opposition," sighed the astute old warrior. "But I fear you can't." "Can't I! Wait and see." "No. He is afraid." "He doesn't look a victim of timidity." "Not for himself. But unpleasant things will happen to a friend--well, let us say an acquaintance for whom he has no small regard--if he disobeys." "Oh, dealer in mysteries, tell me more!" "Thou art the woman." "I? What can possibly happen to me?" "Solitary confinement." "I don't think that's a very funny joke," said she contemptuously.