elling
caps and pale cadaverous countenances, smoking cigars; others opening
baskets of provisions, and eating with good sea-faring appetite; while
one party had a carriage on the deck so filled with luxuries of every
kind, that there seemed no end to the multitude of Perigord pies, German
sausages, cold fowls, pastry, and fruit that were produced during the
evening. The owners had a table spread on the deck, and ate voraciously,
before a circle of hungry spectators, which had such an appearance of
selfishness and gluttony, that both his young friends thought
immediately of Peter Grey.

As evening closed in, Harry and Laura began to feel very desolate thus
for the first time in their lives alone, while the wide waste of waters
around made the scene yet more forlorn. They had enjoyed unmingled
delight in talking over and over about their happy meeting with Frank,
and planned a hundred times how joyfully they would rush into the house,
and with what pleasure they would relate all that happened to
themselves, after hearing from his own mouth the extraordinary
adventures which his letters had described. Laura produced from her
reticule several of the last she had received, and laughed again over
the funny jokes and stories they contained, inventing many new questions
to ask him on the subject, and fancying she already heard his voice, and
saw his bright and joyous countenance. But now the night had grown so
dark and chilly, that both Harry and Laura felt themselves gradually
becoming cold, melancholy, and dejected. They made an effort to walk
arm-in-arm up and down the deck, in imitation of the few other
passengers who had been able to remain out of bed, and they tried still
to talk cheerfully, but in spite of every effort, their thoughts became
mournful. After clinging together for some time, and staggering up and
down, without feeling in spirits to speak, they were still shiveringly
cold, yet unwilling to separate for the night, when Harry suddenly stood
still, grasping Laura's arm with a look of startled astonishment, which
caused her hastily to glance round in the direction where he was eagerly
gazing, but nothing became visible except the dim outline of a woman's
figure, rolled up in several enormous shawls, and with her bonnet
slouched far over her face.

"I am certain it was her!" whispered Harry, in a tone of breathless
amazement; "almost certain!"

"Who?" asked Laura, eagerly.

Without answering, Harry sprung