vited. "I want someone to talk to, for it
is rather lonesome here."

"You'd better come up," Eben found voice to reply. "It's nicer here in
the sun."

"I know it is," and the girl's face became sober in an instant. "But I
am afraid."

"What are ye afraid of?"

"Those men in the boats, of course."

"That they'll git ye?"

"Yes."

"But they won't out there, though," and again Eben grinned. "I knew ye
didn't drown yerself. Ye'd be a fool to do it, wouldn't ye?"

"How did you know?"

"Oh, I saw ye last night headin' fer the 'Eb an' Flo.'"

"Did you see me come on board?"

"No, it was too dark. But when dad wouldn't let me go into the cabin,
I guessed what was up. It was nicer down there than floatin' in the
river, wasn't it? Wonder where ye'd be now, an' how ye'd feel if ye
had drowned yerself."

The girl shivered, and her face turned white.

"Are you hungry?" she unexpectedly asked.

"Why, I jist had me breakfast."

"I know you did, but your father said you are always hungry. Suppose
you come down and I'll give you something more. You didn't have much
to eat."

To his own surprise Eben at once obeyed, lumbered down the steps, and
seated himself by the little table. The girl placed a boiled egg
before him, cut a slice of bread, and poured out a cup of coffee.

"I cooked one egg too many," she explained.

"Lucky ye did," Eben replied, as he broke the shell. "Say, it's great
havin' you here. What's yer name!"

"Only Jess. I hope you will like it."

"I like it already. I think it's nice. An' say, I won't let anyone
git ye."

"That's kind of you. But I thought you hated girls."

"Who told ye that?"

"Your father, of course. Isn't it true?"

"Mebbe it is, an' mebbe it isn't. An' mebbe after all it is. I never
did take much stock in girls."

"Why?"

"Dunno, 'cept it's me make-up. Girls are too fussy fer me, so I like
to keep out of their way."

"But you came my way this morning, though," the girl smilingly reminded.

"Oh, you're different. I like what you did. You came here to be
protected, an' I'm goin' to see that ye are. I won't let them men git
ye."

"What will you do if they come on board?"

Eben dropped his knife and fork suddenly upon the table, while his
hands clenched hard.

"They won't come on board," he declared. "They'll do well to git close
to this boat. Look," and he pointed to a rifle standing in one corner
of the cabin.

"Oh, you mustn't shoo