When she heard the captain’s step, so nearly surprising her at it, she blushed a deep red. She felt her cheeks still hot when he arrived. As usual, he did not even glance at her. He plumped down on a seat, put his elbows on the cabin table, his head in his hands, and rocked it rhythmically from side to side.

“Look, Captain!” she insisted. “Do I look pretty like this? Look! Look! Look, do I look pretty like this?”

For once he raised his head, turned, and considered her at length. She had rolled up her eyes till only the whites showed, and turned her under lip inside out. With her first finger she was squashing her nose almost level with her cheeks.

“No,” he said simply, “you do not.” Then he returned to his cogitation.

She stuck out her tongue as well, and waggled it.