ht, could he see her face.
After a moment's silence she said, as if to herself--

"This is just the place."

"For what?"

"For--for an Irish jig," she laughed with sudden merriment.
"Come, try a step upon these old timbers."

"For heaven's sake take care!" cried Sam. "There may be a trap-hatch
where you stand, and these boards are rotten through and through.
Ten minutes ago you were mournful," he added, in wonder at her change
of mood.

"Was I?" She broke out suddenly into elfish song--

"'Och! Pathrick O'Hea, but I'm sad, Bedad!
Och! darlint, 'tis bad to be sad.'
'Hwat's this?' says he.
'Why, a kiss,' says she.
''Tis a cure,' says he.
'An' that's sure,' says she.
'Och! Pat, you're a sinsible lad, Bedad!
Troth, Pat, you're a joole uv a lad!'"

She broke off suddenly and shivered.

"Come, let us go; this place suffocates me."

She turned and ran up the crazy ladder. At the top she turned and
peered down upon the dumbfounded Sam.

"Nobody comes here, I suppose?"

"I should think not."

"I mean, the owner never comes to--"

"To visit his cargo?" laughed Sam. "No, the owner is dead. He was a
wicked old miser, and I guess in the place where he is now he'd give
a deal for the water in this ship; but I never heard he was allowed
to come back for it."

She leant her hands on the taffrail, and looked over the stern.

"Hark! There are the other boats. Don't you hear the voices?
They have passed us by, and we must make haste after them."

She turned upon him with a smile. Without well knowing what he did
he laid his hand softly on her arm.

"Stop, I want a word before you go."

"Well?"

Her large eyes, gleaming on him through the dusk, compelled and yet
frightened him. He trembled and stammered vaguely--

"You said just now--you hinted, I mean--that you were unhappy with
Mr.--with your husband. Is that so?"

It was the second time she had been asked the question to-day.
A faint smile crossed her face.

"Well?" she said again.

"I mean," he answered with a nervous laugh, "I don't like to see it--
and--I meant, if I could help you--"

"To run away? Will you help me to run away?" Her eyes suddenly
blazed upon him, and as she bent forward, and almost hissed the
words, he involuntarily drew back a step.

"Well," he stammered, "he's a good fellow, really, is your husband--
he's been very good to me and all that--"

"Ah!" she exclai