id not press it further; and, though
surprised, being personally indifferent, soon dismissed it from her
thoughts, with an inward comment that girls never knew their own minds
a month together.

Cecil, however, marvelled at her mother's want of penetration and could
not refrain from increased coolness to Bluebell.

White horses were curling the broad waters of Ontario, as the huge
river-steamer "St. Michael" was getting up the steam for its run to
Quebec; and, from the crowd on the wharf waiting to embark, it might be
surmised that even the sofas in the saloon would be at a premium for
sleeping berths. The Rollestons were surrounded with acquaintances,
either going themselves or seeing others off, till the bell rang, when
there was a rush to the tug, and the big paddle-wheels got in motion.
The children ran up and down the long, narrow saloon on to the decks at
each end, while Miss Prosody was vainly trying to wrest the key of a
sleeping-berth from the purser, who, the supply not being equal to the
demand, was having rather a hot time of it.

"Two double cabins," cried Colonel Rolleston, presently; "the rest must
have berths in the ladies' cabin, and trouble enough to secure that.
However, here are the keys. How shall we divide?"

"Shall Estelle and Lola sleep in the wide lower berth of one cabin, and I
in the upper?" said Cecil.

"And we must take Freddy, I suppose?" said Mrs. Rolleston; "and Miss
Prosody, Bluebell, and Fleda, go to the ladies' cabin."

"Oh, Cecil!" cried Lola, as they unlocked their domicile off the saloon,
"what a little--little bed! If you turn, you'll tumble into ours; and how
will you get up? Won't I catch your foot!"

"No bath!" exclaimed Estelle; "only two small basins! And what a
looking-glass! it makes one squint!"

"It is better than the ladies' cabin," said Fleda, dolefully, "with the
stewardess sitting there, and two or three sick-looking people, and the
berths all open like the shelves of a bookcase."

"It is only for one night," said Cecil. "We land at Cobourg to-morrow
afternoon. Look! the waiters are laying the long tables for luncheon, or
dinner I suppose it is. Come out on the deck till it is ready. Oh, dear!
there is not a patch of shade left for us. How they over-crowd these
boats!"

"There's a gentleman holding his umbrella over Bluebell," said Lola.

Cecil's eyes opened in some amazement. She would have thought it rather
impertinent in a stranger offering such familia