offer
courtesies of this sort so informally.

"I--I think I won't need them, thank you. I've decided not to leave the
boat," she answered shyly.

Elliot had never been accused of being a quitter. Having begun this, he
proposed to see it out. He caught sight of the purser superintending the
discharge of cargo and called to him by name. The officer joined them,
a pad of paper and a pencil in his hand.

"I'm trying to persuade Miss O'Neill that she ought to go ashore while
we're lying here. What was it you told me about the waterfall back of
the town?"

"Finest thing of its kind in Alaska. They're so proud of it in this burg
that they would like to make it against the law for any one to leave
without seeing it. Every one takes it in. We won't get away till night.
You've plenty of time if you want to see it."

"Now, will you please introduce me to Miss O'Neill formally?"

The purser went through the usual formula of presentation, adding that
Elliot was a government official on his way to Kusiak. Having done his
duty by the young man, the busy supercargo retired.

"I'm sure it would do you good to walk up to the waterfall with me, Miss
O'Neill," urged Elliot.

She met a little dubiously the smile that would not stay quite
extinguished on his good-looking, boyish face. Why shouldn't she go with
him, since it was the American way for unchaperoned youth to enjoy
itself naturally?

"If they'll fit," the girl answered, eyeing the rubbers.

Gordon dropped to his knee and demonstrated that they would.

As they walked along the muddy street she gave him a friendly little nod
of thanks. "Good of you to take the trouble to look out for me."

He laughed. "It was myself I was looking out for. I'm a stranger in the
country and was awfully lonesome."

"Is it that this is your first time in too?" she asked shyly.

"You're going to Kusiak, aren't you? Do you know anybody there?" replied
Elliot.

"My cousin lives there, but I haven't seen her since I was ten. She's an
American. Eleven years ago she visited us in Ireland."

"I'm glad you know some one," he said. "You'll not be so lonesome with
some of your people living there. I have two friends at Kusiak--a girl I
used to go to school with and her husband."

"Are you going to live at Kusiak?"

"No; but I'll be stationed in the Territory for several months. I'll be
in and out of the town a good deal. I hope you'll let me see something
of you."

The fine Irish coloring