was, if anything, gayer than before, full of bright quips and
sayings that kept them laughing, but she distributed her favors
impartially to all. And she was blandly unresponsive to Drew's efforts
to monopolize her attentions.

It was so all through that day and the next. There was nothing about
her that was stiff or repellant, but, nevertheless, Drew felt that she
was keeping him at arm's length. It was as though she had served
notice that she would be a jolly comrade, but nothing more.

Poor Drew, unused to the ways of women, could not understand her. He
tried again and again to get her by herself, in the hope that he might
regain the ground that seemed to be slipping away from under him. But
she seemed to have developed a sudden fondness for the society of her
father and Grimshaw, and she managed in some way to include one or both
of them in the walks and chats that Drew sought to make exclusive.

Then, too, there was Parmalee.

That young man fully recovered from his seasickness after the third day
out and resumed his place in the life of the ship.

Ruth had been full of solicitude and attentions during his illness, and
when he again took his place at table, she expressed her pleasure with
a warmth that Drew felt was unnecessary. His own congratulations were
much more formal.

Parmalee seemed to feel that he had appeared somewhat at a disadvantage
in succumbing to the illness which the others had escaped, and the
feeling put him on his mettle. He made special efforts to be genial
and companionable, and his conversation sparkled with jests and
epigrams. He could talk well; and even Drew had to admit to himself
grudgingly that the other young man was brilliant.

Ruth, always fond of reading, had turned to books in her loneliness
after her mother's death and had read widely for a girl of nineteen,
and their familiarity with literature made a common ground on which she
and Parmalee could meet with interest. He had brought along quite a
number of volumes which he offered to lend to Ruth and to Drew.

Ruth thanked him prettily and accepted. Drew thanked him cooly and
declined.

All three were sitting on deck one afternoon, while Tyke and the
captain talked earnestly apart. Ruth's dainty fingers were busy with
some bit of embroidery. Her eyes were bent on her work, but the eyes
of the young men rested on her. And both were thinking that the object
of their gaze was well worth looking at.

Ruth hers