hurricane deck abaft the funnel. She was with the captain, a fine
looking, middle-aged man, and they seemed to be on very friendly terms,
for the girl was smiling at something her companion was saying.

Reynolds lighted a cigar and began to pace up and down on the opposite
side of the deck. Others were doing the same, so no one paid any heed
to his presence. A casual observer might have thought that the silent
young man took no interest in anything around him. But Reynolds missed
hardly a movement of the girl but a few feet away. He always kept a
short distance behind and was thus able to study her closely without
attracting attention. She wore a raincoat, of a soft light material,
and her head was bare. The wind played with her dark-brown hair, and
occasionally she lifted her hand and brushed back a wayward tress that
had drifted over her forehead. At times he caught a glimpse of her
face as she swung around at the end of the beat, and it was always a
happy, animated face he beheld.

For about fifteen minutes this walk was continued, and Reynolds had
been unable to distinguish any of the conversation between the two.
But as they ended their promenade, and started to go below, they almost
brushed him in passing, and he heard the captain say, "Jack will be
home soon, and he will----" That was all Reynolds was able to
overhear, and yet it was sufficient to cause him to stop so abruptly
that he nearly collided with a man a few steps behind. Was all that
talk about Jack? he asked himself, and was that why the girl seemed so
happy in listening to her companion? Was Jack the captain's son, and
did he have the first claim upon the girl? Perhaps he was overseas,
and was expected home shortly. No doubt the girl had been visiting his
people.