e
now. I have a dozen hungry babies to feed."

Evan, with a smile, allowed her to pass downstairs. It required no
small amount of self-control. "Patience, son!" he said to himself.
"You have all day before you. If you lose your temper, she'll have you
exactly where she wants you. However she bedevils you, you must be
little Bright-eyes still!"

Corinna presently returned with more food and proceeded to the next
baby in line. In the meantime Anway, finding himself both unnecessary
and helpless in this situation, had drifted away--to confer with his
"brothers," perhaps. The second baby's mother was perfectly capable of
feeding her own offspring, and Evan saw that Corinna was merely using
the infant as a shield against him. But he could not seem to interfere
between a helpless baby and its food.

When she passed him again bound down below he said: "Let me help you."

"Thanks, this is hardly in your line," she said coldly.

Nevertheless he followed her down and saw that she went to the galley
for a soft-boiled egg for the next child.

"You're wasting your time running up and down," he said with obstinate
good nature. "Let me be your waiter and fetch the different orders
while you feed."

"Thanks; I don't need your assistance," she said.

But he saw that her temper was beginning to rise, and took heart. If
he could only put her in the wrong! He blandly followed her back
again, and as she started to feed he found out for himself what the
next baby required. This was a small one and its order was for six
ounces of milk with two ounces of barley water and a teaspoonful of
sugar added, the whole in a bottle well-warmed.

He procured it from the galley in due course. Corinna received it of
him with a very ill grace. "She'd make a face at me if she didn't have
her dignity to keep up," thought Evan. After that he had her. They
worked their way down one side of the saloon and back on the other, to
all outward appearance at least like two pals. Evan was careful to
confine his remarks to milk, oatmeal gruel, beef broth and orange
juice. Corinna could not find matter in this to quarrel over. She was
as acidly sweet as one of the oranges.

Only the little ones and the sick were specially fed in the saloon.
The others were taken down in relays to the dining-room on the main
deck aft. Corinna's and Evan's task came to an end at last. As he
carried the last cup back to the galley Evan said to himself: "Now'