ven opened and closed them once
or twice to prove their relaxation.

"That's better. Now--won't you try to remember that I am responsible
for your being here, and be careful?"

"Then take me away from here and put me with the crew. I am stronger
now. Ask the captain to give me a man's work. This--this is a
housemaid's occupation."

"We prefer to have you here," she said coldly; and then, evidently
repenting her manner: "We need a man here, Leslie. Better stay. Are
you comfortable in the forecastle?"

"Yes, Miss Lee."

"And the food is all right?"

"The cook says I am eating two men's rations."

She turned to leave, smiling. It was the first time she had thrown
even a fleeting smile my way, and it went to my head.

"And Williams? I am to submit to his insolence?"

She stopped and turned, and the smile faded.

"The next time," she said, "you are to drop him!"

But during the remainder of the day she neither spoke to me nor looked,
as far as I could tell, in my direction. She flirted openly with Vail,
rather, I thought, to the discomfort of Mrs. Johns, who had
appropriated him to herself--sang to him in the cabin, and in the long
hour before dinner, when the others were dressing, walked the deck with
him, talking earnestly. They looked well together, and I believe he
was in love with her. Poor Vail!

Turner had gone below, grimly good-humored, to dress for dinner; and I
went aft to chat, as I often did, with the steersman. On this occasion
it happened to be Charlie Jones. Jones was not his name, so far as I
know. It was some inordinately long and different German inheritance,
and so, with the facility of the average crew, he had been called
Jones. He was a benevolent little man, highly religious, and something
of a philosopher. And because I could understand German, and even
essay it in a limited way, he was fond of me.

"Seta du dick," he said, and moved over so that I could sit on the
grating on which he stood. "The sky is fine to-night. Wunderschon!"

"It always looks good to me," I observed, filling my pipe and passing
my tobacco-bag to him. "I may have my doubts now and then on land,
Charlie; but here, between the sky and the sea, I'm a believer, right
enough."

"'In the beginning He created the heaven and the earth,'" said Charlie
reverently.

We were silent for a time. The ship rolled easily; now and then she
dipped her bowsprit with a soft swish of spray; a school of dolphins