ch relieved. Rose came into sight and would
have run after him, but Daddy Bunker stopped her.

"Don't chase him now. He has something particular to do, Rose."

"I think that's real mean!" exclaimed Rose. "He's hiding something from
me!"

"My!" said Daddy, "do you think your brother should tell you everything
he knows or does?"

"Why not?" retorted Rose. "I'm sure, Daddy, he is welcome to know
everything I know."

"Are you sure? Moreover, perhaps he does not care to know all your
secrets," said Mr. Bunker.

"Anyhow, you must learn, Rose, that other people have a right to their
own private mysteries; you must not be inquisitive. Russ has got
something on his mind, it is true; but without doubt we shall all know
what it is by and by."

"Well!" exclaimed Rose, with almost a gasp. She could not quite
understand her father's reasoning.

Russ Bunker appeared after a while, looking still very grave indeed for
a boy of his age. Daddy kept from saying or doing anything to suggest
that he was curious; but Rose found it hard not to tease her brother to
explain his taking food from the table and hiding it in his pockets.

"Of course he can't eat it," she whispered to herself. "And he doesn't
give it to the eagle. Who ever heard of an eagle eating pound cake with
raisins and citron in it? And I saw Russ take a piece of that.

"But he didn't eat much himself. I wonder if he is sick and is hiding it
from Mother and Daddy?"

She watched her brother very closely. After a time he seemed more
cheerful, and they ran races on the open deck. They knew many of the
passengers by this time to speak to. And there were some few other
children of about their own ages, too. They talked with these other
boys and girls, found out where they lived when they were at home, and
learned where they were going to, when they left the _Kammerboy_ at
Charleston or Savannah.

Just the same Rose knew that her brother was disturbed in his mind.
Daddy Bunker's words to her had been sufficient, and Rose said nothing.
But she began to believe that she should sympathize with Russ instead of
being vexed with him. He did look so serious when he was not talking.

The evening wore on. The moon rose and silvered the almost pond-like sea
through which the _Kammerboy_ steamed. Even the children were impressed
by the beauty of the seascape. Far, far away against the rising moon
appeared a fairylike ship sailing across its face, each spar and mast
pricked out