knows more of the world than you,"
said the woman, "you'll go back home as fast as you can. Your own folks
are the best to look after you. If you've spent all your money, they'd
help you at the police station. They'll always send a girl back to her
friends." Then, leaving Gipsy to digest her remarks while eating her
breakfast, she went to perform household tasks.

The last hint put Gipsy in a panic. With her long night's rest her
spirits had revived, and her courage returned. The idea of seeking her
father in South Africa appeared once more attractive, and she had no
wish to be taken charge of by the police and ignominiously packed back
to school. She wondered whether the little confectioner had already gone
to inform a constable of her whereabouts. She could and would not allow
herself to be thus treated. Hurriedly finishing the tea and bread and
butter, she laid all her money, with the exception of sixpence, on the
table, and finding the shop door already open, made her escape into the
street. It felt almost like running away a second time, and she was
sorry not to have said "Thank you!" for her night's lodging, but she
considered the emergency to be critical, and was glad when she turned
the corner and was out of sight of the shop. She made her way as fast as
possible to the electric railway, and took the first car for Liverpool,
determined not to waste any further time in looking for Captain Smith at
Waterloo, but to try her utmost to obtain a berth as stewardess. By dint
of diligent asking, she managed to find the quarters of one of the
shipping companies that ran a line of steamers to South Africa, and
after toiling up a long flight of stairs she boldly entered the office,
and stated her business to an astonished clerk. He gave her one
comprehensive glance, screwed up his mouth, and most impolitely
whistled.

"Whew! You're rather juvenile for the job, ain't you?" he asked
facetiously. "Ever been on the sea before? 'Tisn't nice when it's rough,
I can tell you."

"I'm older than I look," returned Gipsy with dignity, suddenly
remembering, however, to her confusion, that she had forgotten to buy a
box of hairpins and turn up her hair. "That's to say, I'm quite old
enough to be very useful on board ship, and I know all about long
voyages. I'd like to speak to the head of the office."

"I dare say you would! But he's not here yet--never comes down till ten
or half-past, and I don't believe he'd see you, either. We'