e places at the
Captain's table, which was significant of "first call to meals."

This accomplished he led his charges out of line, carefully deposited
his "meal tickets" in an innermost pocket, and crossed an ante-room to
where there were plates of ship's biscuits and slices of cheese.

"Take all you want, all you can eat, both of you youngsters. Sorry to
say no regular meal will be served, not even for Dorothy's benefit, till
the six o'clock dinner. Unless she choses to get seasick; when she would
have tea and toast sent to her and wouldn't be able to touch it! Enough?
Take plenty. There's no stinting on Captain Murray's good ship though a
lot of cast-iron rules that one must never break. Hark! There's Melvin's
toot again! There must be a great crowd on board, if all haven't come to
get their seats here yet. Now we'll interview our women folk and see how
they're faring."

Munching their crackers and cheese the girls hurried to "Number
Thirteen," the only stateroom on the promenade deck which Miss
Rhinelander had been able to secure for her cousin Isobel and Dorothy;
and though she had held her peace concerning it Miss Greatorex had
inwardly revolted against this "unlucky" number.

But it was in fact among the very best on that small steamship. It's
door opening directly upon the deck so that after retiring one could lie
and watch the stars and breathe the pure air of the sea. Also, her short
sojourn in it was to do her much good physically. Even now, when Molly
and Dorothy peeped in they saw her sitting upright, drinking a cup of
tea and chatting with the stewardess as calmly as usual.

At sight of Dorothy, however, she promptly dismissed the attendant and
bade the girl enter and explain everything that had happened after her
disappearance from the "Mary Powell."

Molly made a grimace, and Dolly sighed. Repetition of unpleasant things
made them doubly disagreeable, and she now longed to enter into the
Judge's spirit and feel that this was happy holiday. She cut the tale as
short as she could; listened meekly to Miss Isobel's reproofs; waited
upon that fidgetty person with admirable patience; and with equal
patience received all the many instructions as to "suitable conduct"
during their whole journey. When the final word had been said, and she
had been told that no other "allowance" could be hers until "advices"
had been received from Miss Rhinelander, and that she must report every
cent expended, she ventured t