sights and
sounds between decks were more than could long be borne, and, making his
way forward shortly after dawn, he had succeeded in borrowing a spare
sou-wester and pair of sea boots from the second officer, and, equipped
in these and a rubber coat, leaving nothing but his nose and mouth in
evidence, he was boosted up the narrow stairway to the shelter of the
pilot-house on the uppermost deck--the Idaho had no bridge--and there he
saw the sun come up to the meridian and the sea go gradually down as the
steamer found smoother waters under the lee of San Ildefonso. Only
lightly laden, the stanch little craft had well-nigh "jumped out of her
boots," as the jovial skipper expressed it, and now, all brine and
beaming satisfaction after his long hours of stormy vigil, he clapped
Loring on the shoulder, complimented him on his possession of a "sea
stomach" and ordered coffee served forthwith. They were steaming slowly
along at half-speed now, taking a breathing spell before attempting the
next round, and the captain waxed confidential.

"What's wrong with that pretty little niece?" he asked. "She was bright
enough the day they came aboard on our up trip. Now, the stewardess
tells me she fainted dead away and has been begging to be put ashore all
night."

Loring couldn't say.

"But you helped carry her down, you and Turnbull. The stewardess says
you were both very kind to her, where her own people neglected her. I
didn't fancy that scrub Escalante. Do you know anything about him or her
own people?"

"Nothing--to speak of," said Loring.

"Fernandez, one of those young Guaymas swells, says the mother was own
sister to De la Cruz--married against his wishes when she was a mere
girl--died a few years later, and that Don Ramon offered to adopt and
educate her little girl, but only lately would the Escalantes give her
up. All I know is that she's too damned miserable about something else
to be even seasick like the rest of 'em. You'd a-been down there with
Turnbull if you hadn't just had more'n your share of illness," added he,
with the mariner's slight disapprobation of the landsman who defies
initiations of Neptune.

"Very possibly," said Loring.

"The purser tells me Escalante gave him a little packet belonging to
her--very valuable, which he ordered kept in the safe until their agent
should call for it at 'Frisco."

"Indeed!" said Loring, looking up in quick interest.

"Fact," said the skipper. "Now, have some mo