the Bible to her, an' tellin' her that God would certainly send
you back again. She looked and spoke always so brightly too."

"Did she do that?" exclaimed Ruby, with emotion.

Forsyth looked for a moment earnestly at his friend.

"I mean," continued Ruby, in some confusion, "did she look bright when
she spoke of my bein' away?"

"No lad, it was when she spoke of you comin' back; but I could see that
her good spirits was partly put on to keep up the old woman."

For a moment or two the friends remained silent.

Suddenly Forsyth laid his hand on the other's shoulder, and said
impressively: "Ruby Brand, it's my belief that that girl is rather fond
of you."

Ruby looked up with a bright smile, and said, "D'you think so? Well,
d'ye know, I believe she is."

"Upon my word, youngster," exclaimed the other, with a look of evident
disgust, "your conceit is considerable. I had thought to be somewhat
confidential with you in regard to this idea of mine, but you seem to
swallow it so easy, and to look upon it as so natural a thing, that--
that--Do you suppose you've nothin' to do but ask the girl to marry you
and she'll say `Yes' at once?"

"I do," said Ruby quietly; "nay, I am sure of it."

Forsyth's eyes opened very wide indeed at this. "Young man," said he,
"the sea must have washed all the modesty you once had out of you--"

"I hope not," interrupted the other, "but the fact is that I put the
question you have supposed to Minnie long ago, and she _did_ say `Yes'
to it then, so it's not likely she's goin' to draw back now."

"Whew! that alters the case," cried Forsyth, seizing his friend's hand,
and wringing it heartily.

"Hallo! you two seem to be on good terms, anyhow," observed Jamie Dove,
whose head appeared at that moment through the hole in the floor by
which the lantern communicated with the room below. "I came to see if
anything had gone wrong, for your time of watch is up."

"So it is," exclaimed Forsyth, rising and crossing to the other side of
the apartment, where he applied his lips to a small tube in the wall.

"What are you doing?" enquired Ruby.

"Whistling up Joe," said Forsyth. "This pipe runs down to the sleepin'
berths, where there's a whistle close to Joe's ear. He must be asleep.
I'll try again."

He blew down the tube a second time and listened for a reply, which came
up a moment or two after in a sharp whistle through a similar tube
reversed; that is, with the mouthpiece below a