"It
is of no immediate interest to any one but Ophelia, and I fancy she does
not care to dwell upon it at any great length. It is more important that
we should decide upon our future course of action. In the first place, the
question is who these people up on deck are. If they are the members of
the club, we are all right. They will give us our scare, and land us
safely again at the pier. In that event it is our womanly duty to manifest
no concern, and to seem to be aware of nothing unusual in the proceeding.
It would never do to let them think that their joke has been a good one.
If, on the other hand, as I fear, we are the victims of some horde of
ruffians, who have pounced upon us unawares, and are going into the
business of abduction on a wholesale basis, we must meet treachery with
treachery, strategy with strategy. I, for one, am perfectly willing to
make every man on board walk the plank, having confidence in the
seawomanship of Mrs. Noah and her ability to steer us into port."
"I am quite in accord with these views," put in Madame Recamier, "and I
move you, Mrs. President, that we organize a series of subcommittees--one
on treachery, with Lucretia Borgia and Delilah as members; one on
strategy, consisting of Portia and Queen Elizabeth; one on navigation,
headed by Mrs. Noah; with a final subcommittee on reconnoitre, with
Cassandra to look forward, and Mrs.
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