vel head on those shoulders of his, and his advice
at times might come in mighty handy.

"I won't go on deck with you, if you'll excuse me," continued the
captain, reaching out his hand for a farewell shake, "because I've some
work to do in connection with my clearance papers. Good-bye."

The young man was perfectly willing to be deprived of the captain's
further company, much as he liked him. The captain's daughter would
make a very good substitute. He hoped ardently that she, unlike her
father, would have no business to keep her below.

His hopes were realized, for he caught sight of her leaning on the rail
and gazing out upon the river with as much absorption as though she had
never seen it before.

Possibly it did interest her. Possibly, too, she had forgotten all
about the handsome young man who was in conference with her father in
the cabin. Possibly she had not been stirred by the adoration in his
eyes or the agitation in his voice. So many things are possible!

Anyway, despite a heightened color in her cheeks and a starry
brightness in her eyes, her start of surprise, as she looked up and saw
Drew standing beside her, was done very well indeed.

"So you conspirators have got through plotting already," she said
lightly.

"Yes," Drew laughed; "we've been going over every link of the chain and
have decided that it is good and strong. Not that my judgment was
worth very much, I fear, this morning."

"Why not?" she asked demurely.

"Because I couldn't put my mind on it," he answered. "My wits were
wool gathering. I scarcely heard what your father said. I'm glad he
isn't a mind reader."

"So few people are."

"I wish you were," he said earnestly.

She stiffened a little, and from that he took warning. He must check
the impetuous words that strove for utterance. He had but barely met
her. How was she to know the feelings that had possessed him since
their casual encounter on the pier? He must not frighten her by trying
to sweep her off her feet. This citadel was to be captured, if at all,
by siege rather than by storm. He would risk disaster by being
premature.

"Do you know," he said in a lighter tone, "that it was the surprise of
my life when I found that your name was Hamilton?"

"Why should it have been a surprise?" she asked.

"Because I had been thinking all along that your name was Adams."

"What made you think that?" she inquired in genuine surprise.

"W--why," he stammered