re not
wanting any stewardesses at present--leastways, those we engage have to
be on the wrong side of thirty."

"I'll wait and see the head of the office," announced Gipsy firmly.

"Well! Of all the cheek--!"

But at that moment the telephone bell rang violently in an inner room,
and the clerk fled to the instrument. After a few minutes he returned,
and with a complete change in his manner asked Gipsy to take a seat.

"The Chief will be here before long," he said affably. "If you don't
mind waiting a little, I can promise it will be to your advantage."

Gipsy sat down on one of the office chairs, and amused herself for about
the space of ten minutes in studying the shipping advertisements that
were hung round the walls. She turned eagerly at last when a footstep
was heard upon the staircase. Was it the manager of the Tower Line, she
wondered, and would he after all be willing to engage her for the work
she desired? Her heart beat and throbbed as the door swung open. But
instead of a stranger appeared the familiar figure of her friend Meg's
father.

"Gipsy! Gipsy!" cried Mr. Gordon reproachfully. "Thank Heaven I've found
you! Come along with me at once, child! We must go straight back to
Greyfield by the next express."

CHAPTER XIX

The United Guild Festival

MR. GORDON had been most seriously concerned at the news of Gipsy's
unauthorized flight, and considering the part which his daughter Meg had
played in helping her to escape, he held himself to be morally
responsible for the consequences of so foolish a step, and had started
at once for Liverpool in search of the truant. Until very late at night
he had used all efforts to trace her, but without success; then as soon
as possible in the morning, acting on the knowledge of Gipsy's plans
which Meg had supplied, he had telephoned to every steamship company in
the city that ran vessels to South Africa, giving a description of the
girl, and asking, if she called at the office, that she might be
detained until he could arrive and claim her. By a fortunate chance he
rang up the Tower Line at the very time when Gipsy had presented herself
to enquire for work, so, jumping into a taxicab, he had driven
immediately from his hotel to their offices.

On the whole, Gipsy was so relieved to see a friend who was prepared to
take charge of her that she submitted quite peaceably to be escorted
back to Greyfield. The clerk's hilarity at her application for a
steward