"What do you mean?" Ruth's voice was rather muffled, for her hair was
over her face now.

"I mean Mr. Towne fell in to-day, and--"

"Gracious, I hope you don't infer that it's someone else's turn
to-morrow!"

"Hardly!" laughed Alice. "Hand me that cold cream, please, the salt air
has chapped my face. Oh, say, did you notice how much color Laura had on
to-day? If ever there was a 'hand-made' complexion hers was!"

"You shouldn't say such things!"

"Why not? When they're true! And such eyes as she made at poor Mr.
Towne!"

Ruth slipped a rosy palm over her sister's lips, but Alice pulled it
away, and laughingly added:

"She found that her glances failed to reach Paul, and so she's trying her
'wireless' on--"

"Alice, you _must_ stop. Someone may hear you!"

"Can't! Daddy has the stateroom on one side, and Mr. Pertell the other,
and they're both sound sleepers. But I've finished anyhow. You put out
the light," and with a bound, having completed her toilette, Alice was in
her berth.