The girl watched the engine for some time and then crept slowly
along a steel bridge that looked like a spider's web, from which she
could look into the furnace-room, with its roaring fires, scorching
heat and constantly clanging iron doors. For some minutes she gazed
silently, then turning quickly, hurried across the bridge, up the
greasy stairs and on to the main saloon where she found her father
in a big arm-chair, buried in a book. The girl first pulled the book
out of her father's hands, then, sitting on the arm of his chair,
clasped her hands on his shoulder and whispered eagerly into his
ear.

"Daddy, I want you to get that boy out of that hot place down in
the bottom of the boat where he is at work. I know he's sick, for I
saw him lean up against the wall and shut his eyes and he was just
as white--"

"Why, Molly, where have you been to see all this?"

"First, I went where the big engine is, then I went a little farther
and saw--Oh! Daddy, hurry, please; if you don't I know he'll die."

"So you want me to get this boy up in the saloon to play with you?"

"I don't mean that at all, Daddy. I should think you'd hate to see
anybody worked to death down in that hot hole."

"Well, I'll see the captain about it as soon as I have finished my
book."