The Imp and the Author
The Author obeyed, and as the Imp skilfully fanned the ship to port, he smiled contritely.
"I'm terribly clumsy," he admitted, "but you see I'm not used to it. I'm not much of a sailor, anyway."
The Imp had a cheerful disposition, but his temper had been greatly tried to-day, and he had had no luncheon. So he was only partly mollified.
"You're dreadful slow, seems to me," he said, crossly.
"I know it," the Author returned meekly. "I know I was, but you see, I really wasn't awake."
"Humph!" sniffed the Imp. "You must 'a' been pretty sleepy, I guess."
"I was," said the Author. "I didn't sleep much last night."
"Nightmare?" suggested the Imp, more sympathetically. He had had a little experience in that line.
"No," the Author replied briefly, adding with a queer, disagreeable smile, "Oh, well, it was a kind of nightmare, I suppose."
The Imp did not even pretend much interest.
59
