Aymeer, and Babo,
and Nalla. I can't stay here."

"But perhaps your father will bring them when he comes. Don't you
remember he told you he lived here when he was a little boy, and what
nice times he had with the cousin he loved? And the cousin is here to
bid you welcome. Come and speak to him. We cannot go back at once, the
ship has to unload her cargo and take in ever so many other things. See,
here is Cousin Leverett."

She sat up, made a forward movement as if she would rise, but simply
stared.

"Yes, I am Cousin Leverett." He began advancing and held out his hand.

"And very glad to see such an excellent traveller as you have been,"
said the captain. "And such a nice little girl. You are an American
girl; you know your father told you that. And this is your native town.
Cousin Leverett remembers you when you were very little."

"But I don't remember you;" taking no notice of the proffered hand.

"Then you must get acquainted with me. And you must tell me about your
life and your father, whom I have not seen in a long, long time. Let us
shake hands."

She held out hers then and raised herself to her feet.

"Oh, how soft your hands are," she cried, "just like Nalla's. But they
are very white. Nalla's were brown."

"And who was Nalla?"

"She used to come and play with me and make chains out of shells, and
make bracelets and anklets, and dance. And she used to go to the Sahibs'
house and dance with snakes. I'm afraid of them. Are you?"

"Indeed I am, of the large ones," he said at a venture.

He fancied that he felt a gentle pressure of sympathetic approval. She
glanced up for an instant and her eyes transfixed him. They were a deep
wonderful blue, almost black at the pupil, then raying off a little
lighter. It made him think of a star in the winter midnight sky with a
halo around it. The lashes were long and nearly black. Otherwise she had
little claim to beauty just then. Her complexion had a tawny hue made by
sun and wind, her hair was light, but it had a peculiar sunburned tint,
though it was fine and abundant and hung in loose curls about her
shoulders. Her nose was the only Leverett feature--it was straight,
rather small, and had the flexibility that betrayed passing emotions.
The Leverett lips were thin, hers were full in the middle, giving a
certain roundness to the mouth.

"Are there any where you live?" hesitatingly.

"Any?" Then he recalled the subject they had touched upon. "Oh, no; you
se