"Are you ready now, Miss Deane?" he sang out cheerily.

"Ready? I have been waiting for you."

Jenks chuckled quietly. "I must guard my tongue: it betrays me," he
said to himself.

Iris joined him. By some mysterious means she had effected great
improvement in her appearance. Yet there were manifest gaps.

"If only I had a needle and thread--" she began.

"If that is all," said the sailor, fumbling in his pockets. He produced
a shabby little hussif, containing a thimble, scissors, needles and
some skeins of unbleached thread. Case and contents were sodden or
rusted with salt water, but the girl fastened upon this treasure with a
sigh of deep content.

"Now, please," she cried, "I want a telegraph office and a ship."

It was impossible to resist the infection of her high spirits. This
time he laughed without concealment.

"We will look for them, Miss Deane. Meanwhile, will you oblige me by
wearing this? The sun is climbing up rapidly."

He handed her a sou'wester which he carried. He had secured another for
himself. The merriment died away from her face. She remembered his
errand. Being an eminently sensible young woman she made no protest,