The Real Charlotte. 285 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



The Irish mail-boat was well up to time on that frosty 

 thirty-first of December. She had crossed from Holyhead 

 on an even keel, and when the Bailey light on the end of 

 Howth had been sighted, the passengers began to think 

 that they might risk congratulations on the clemency of the 

 weather, and some of the hardier had ordered tea in the 

 saloon, and were drinking it with incredulous enjoyment. 



" I shall go mad, Pamela, perfectly mad, if you cannot 

 think of any word for that tenth light. C and H— can't 

 you think of ^^ything with C and H ? I found out all the 

 others in the train, and the least you might do is to think 

 of this one for me. That dreadful woman snoring on the 

 sofa just outside my berth put everything else out of my 

 head." 



This plaint, uttered in a deep and lamentable contralto, 

 naturally drew some attention towards Lady Dysart, as she 

 swept down the saloon towards the end of the table, and 

 Pamela, becoming aware that the lady referred to was 

 among the audience, trod upon her mother's dress and thus 

 temporarily turned the conversation. 



" C and H," she repeated, " I'm afraid I can't think of 

 anything ; the only word I can think of beginning with C is 

 Christopher." 



" Christopher ! ** cried Lady Dysartj " why, Christopher 

 ends with an R." 



As Lady Dysart for the second time pronounced her 

 son's name the young man who had just come below, and 

 was having a whisky and soda at the bar at the end of the 

 saloon, turned quickly round and put down his glass. Lady 

 Dysart and her daughter were sitting with their backs to 

 him, but Mr. Hawkins did not require a second glance, and 

 made his way to them at once. 



' " And so you've been seeing poor Christopher off to the 

 North Pole," he said, after the first surprise and explana- 

 tions had been got over. " I can't say I envy him. They 

 make it quite cold enough in Yorkshire to suit me." 



" Don't they ever make it hot for you there ? " asked 

 Lady Dysart, unable to resist the chance of poking fun at 



