trick Henry Patterson!" she said severely. "Shame on you! Stop
teasing that child. Give her the doll this instant--this instant, sir!"

Anne hugged her regained pet and walked away, carefully avoiding Pat's
mischievous eyes. A few minutes later, a bag of macaroons slipped over
her shoulder, and a merry voice announced: "William Tell gives this to
his br-rave, beloved child." And before Anne could speak, Pat was gone
to join some other boys in a game of ring toss.

With a forgiving smile at him, she sauntered on and stood gazing over
the railing at the motley crowd in the steerage. She was looking for
the Irish mother with three curly-haired children. She wanted to share
her macaroons with them. They always looked hungry, and it was really as
much fun to throw them bonbons as to feed the greedy little squirrels in
Central Park. The children were not in sight, however, and Anne
loitered, leaning on the rail. She felt rather than saw some one
watching her. Looking down, she met for a fleeting second the dark,
intent eyes of a steerage passenger, a man in a coarse shirt and blue
overalls. His face--as much of it as she could see under the broad soft
hat pulled over the eyes--was covered with a dark scrubby beard.

On a sudden impulse, Anne leaned forward and called in her clear little
voice: "Here, you man in blue overalls! catch!"

The man started violently, and the macaroons rolled on the deck. He
leaned forward and seemed intent on picking up the fragments, but his
hand shook so that it was slow work. "Thank you, little lady," he said
after awhile, in a gruff voice. "I hope you have good friends."

"Indeed, I have. Have you?"

Perhaps he did not hear her. At all events, he moved quickly away,
without raising his head. Then Pat came, calling Anne. He wanted her to
hear what a man was telling about the headlands that were beginning to
take form on the horizon. Their voyage was almost over. In a few hours,
they would reach Liverpool.

The dock was entered at last and with as little delay as possible Mrs.
Patterson's party drove to the Roxton Hotel. No one noticed that the
carriage was followed closely by a shabby cab. Unseen, its passenger--a
man in blue overalls with a soft hat pulled over his eyes--watched the
little party enter the hotel. Then he alighted, paid his fare,
shouldered his canvas travelling bag, and disappeared down a dingy
street.

CHAPTER VI

"What news for Anne?" wondered Miss Drayton as