be? We love
each other."

"I don't know how to talk," he stammered. "I'm only a sailor. I never
said a word about love to any girl in my life."

"Are you sure you have never loved anybody? Remember, we must tell each
other our secrets."

"Never," he declared with convincing firmness.

She surveyed him, showing the satisfaction a gold-seeker would exhibit
in appraising a nugget of virgin ore. "But you are so big and fine! And
you must have met so many pretty girls!"

He was not restive under this quizzing. "I have told you the truth, Miss
Marston."

"For shame, big boy! 'Miss Marston,' indeed! I am Alma--Alma to you. Say
it! Say it nicely!"

He flushed. He stole a shamefaced glance at the-wheelsman and made a
quick and apprehensive survey of the sacred regions aft.

"Are you afraid, after all I have said to you?"

"No, but it seems--I can hardly believe--"

"Say it."

"Alma," he gulped. "Alma, I love you."

"You need some lessons, big boy. You are so awkward I think you are
telling me the truth about the other girls."

He did not dare to ask her whether she had loved any one else. With all
the passionate jealousy of his soul he wanted to ask her. She, who was
so sure that she could instruct him, must have loved somebody. He tried
to comfort himself by the thought that her knowledge arose from the
efforts either men had made to win her.

"We have our To-day," she murmured. "Golden hours till the moon comes
up--and then perhaps a few silver ones! I don't care what Arthur
guesses. My father is too busy talking money with those men to guess.
I'm going to be with you all I can. I can arrange it. I'm studying
navigation."

She snuggled against the rail, luxuriating in the sunshine.

"Who are you?" she asked, bluntly.

That question, coming after the pledging of their affection, astonished
him like the loom of a ledge in mid-channel.

"It's enough for me that you are just as you are, boy! But you're not a
prince in disguise, are you?"

"I'm only a Yankee sailor," he told her. "But if you won't think that
I'm trying to trade on what my folks have been before me, I'll say that
my grandfather was Gamaliel Mayo of Mayoport."

"That sounds good, but I never heard of him. With all my philosophy, I'm
a poor student of history, sweetheart." Her tone and the name she gave
him took the sting out of her confession.

"I don't believe he played a great part in history. But he built sixteen
ships in his day, and