the door,
but it was still locked from the inside; so he ascended the companion
ladder and went out on deck. It was a most gloriously brilliant and
sparkling afternoon; the sky an intense blue, save where it was flecked
here and there with woolly-looking patches of trade cloud sailing
solemnly up out of the east; the sea, too, was as brilliantly blue as
the sky, but of a deeper tint; there was not very much swell on,
although the breeze was blowing fresh from the eastward; and the brig,
with her weather-braces well checked, was staggering along under every
rag of canvas that would draw. Leslie glanced keenly ahead and then all
round the crystalline clear horizon in search of a sail; but there was
nothing in sight save a school of porpoises that were gambolling
alongside, racing the brig and chasing each other athwart her fore-foot,
each fish apparently rivalling all the rest in an endeavour to see which
could shave the brig's stem most closely without being touched by it.

Thinking that the sight might amuse Miss Trevor, he ran quickly down the
companion ladder and entered the main cabin, with the object of inviting
her to come on deck and witness it. He entered the cabin just in time
to catch sight of her effecting a distinctly hasty retreat into her own
private berth; and although it was only, a momentary glimpse that he
caught of her ere she slammed the door behind her, he could almost have
sworn that she had her pocket-handkerchief to her eyes, as though she
were, or had been, crying. Vaguely wondering what was the trouble, he
paused uncertainly for a few seconds; then, in pursuance of his original
intention, he knocked at her door, and shouted--

"Miss Trevor, there is a school of porpoises at play alongside, if you
would care to come on deck and watch them. It is a pretty sight, and, I
think, would amuse you."

There was no reply for a moment or two. Then, in a strangely muffled
tone of voice, the girl answered--

"Thank you, Mr Leslie. I will be up in a few minutes."

It was fully ten minutes after this that the girl, clad entirely in
white, made her appearance on deck; and as Leslie stole a covert glance
at her face, and noted its absolute composure, he told himself that he
had been mistaken; she had certainly _not_ been crying; and he wondered
what in the world it was that could have put so ridiculous an idea into
his head. She appeared to be frankly and unfeignedly interested in the
gambols of the