The Honorable Percival

								

in his voice, and he must confess she had been rather stupid about it.
But why had that impossible young American ruined a pretty compliment by
her parting shot? Did she feel that she had any claim upon him? Did she
expect him to pay her any attention? Preposterous!
The first break in the lazy routine of the voyage came when the dim
outline of the Hawaiian Islands gradually took definite shape in the
form of old Diamond Head which loomed strangely out of the water.
Sea-gulls came out to meet the steamer, circling on white wings against
the blue, and the air grew soft and fragrant with the odors of flowers
and tropical fruits.
As the Saluria slowly swung into the harbor and dropped anchor,
the promenade-deck was full of lively, chattering people, all arrayed in
white, and all eager for the first glimpse of the strange land. Dozens
of naked native boys were swimming about the steamer, causing general
merriment by their dexterity in diving for coins. One saucy brown imp
who had just come up with a silver piece in his mouth, caught sight
of the Englishman in the crowd above, and with a shrewdness born of
experience called out: "Hi there, English Johnny! Me no 'Merican boy;
me Johnny Bull boy. Me no want dime; want shilling! Here you are!
Aw right!"
The invitation met no response. The Honorable Percival greeted with calm
disdain the laugh that followed it. He was not in the least interested
in impertinent young Hawaiians. A matter of much greater importance
occupied his attention. He had just been informed by the purser that,
owing to the crowded condition of the steamer, he would be compelled to
share his stateroom with another passenger during the remainder of the
voyage. This catastrophe darkened even the tropical sun. He was
indignant with the company in San Francisco that had failed to explain
this contingency; he was angry with the purser for not being able to
change the disagreeable order of things; but most of all he was furious
with the unknown stranger, whom in the blackness of his mood he pictured
as either a fat German or a chattering American.
So perturbed was he over this circumstance that he could not refrain
from venting his ill humor on somebody, and his valet being unavailable
at the time, he took it out upon himself.
"No, I am not going ashore," he said somewhat curtly to Bobby Boynton,
who had organized a party with sufficient diversions to last two days
instead of one.
"You'd better come along," said Bobby. "We are going to shoot up the
town of Honolulu."
"I don't know that I should particularly care for that," said Percival,
coldly.
She looked at him with frank curiosity.
"Say, why don't you ever let yourself have a good time?" she asked.
"Everybody else is going except the captain. He's got the gout. Says
he's carrying his grandfather's cocktails around in his starboard toe."
She waited for a response, but none came.