rd doors of the companion way were suddenly thrown open, and in
the bright light from within two burly forms stepped unsteadily forth,
then lurched for the nearest support, and Loring heard the jovial tones
of Turnbull:

"He must be up here--or overboard; he's nowhere below!" Then glancing
sternward, "O! Loring!" he shouted, and at the name Pancha's little dark
head was suddenly uplifted, and a pair of black eyes, red-rimmed and
swollen with weeping, gazed, startled, toward the dark figures. For the
life of him Loring could not answer the hail. Turnbull's voice and words
alone had been sufficient to rouse her from a depth of woe, and to give
rise to new and violent distress. She was trembling, and he could
plainly see it. To answer would only announce to the frightened girl
that the man whose name was sufficient to cause such evident dismay was
standing there just beyond her seat, within a few paces of her, and had
probably been there for some time. Quickly, watching his chance, as the
Idaho careened to port, Loring shot round the deckhouse and made his way
forward until he reached the companion stairs on that side, and in
another moment was clinging to the outer knob of the doorway on the
other, and answering the eager questions as to where he'd been and
whether he better not turn in. "Have a brandy and water, sir," urged the
colonel's new companion. "Nothing like it to head off _mal de mer_.
We're in for a lively night. Half the women are sick already, and the
colonel here was turning white about the gills."

"The air in the cabin was close after all that champagne. It's fresh in
the staterooms, though," answered Turnbull. "Come on, Loring. It's time
for you to be abed." Then in low tone he queried: "What's become of the
child? Did she see you? Has she got back to shore?"

For answer Loring pointed to the dark figure shrinking from view half a
dozen yards away toward the heaving stern. Their jovial
fellow-passenger again interposed.

"Come, gentlemen, brandy and water's what we need, ain't it?" The
Idaho's champagne had evidently taken effect.

"Right!" said Turnbull "Run down and order for us, quick, or it'll be
too late. We'll join you in a minute." The burly merchant dove for the
doorway on the next stomach-wrecking lurch, and collided with the
white-capped stewardess, hastening up, with anxiety in her eyes. The two
officers clung to the mizzen shrouds opposite the companionway as she
emerged from the broad li