"Yes," exulted the boy; "they're for two persons' things. The
captain's daughters, they both had this room. Pretty good sized too;
a good deal the captain's build. You won't find a better stateroom
than this on a steamer. I've been on 'em." The boy climbed up on
the edge of the upper drawer, and pulled open the window at the top
of the wall. "Give you a little air, I guess. If you want I should,
the captain said I was to bear a hand helping you to stow away what
was in your trunks."

"No," said Lydia, quickly. "I'd just as soon do it alone."

"All right," said the boy. "If I was you, I'd do it now. I don't know
just when the captain means to sail; but after we get outside, it
might be rough, and it's better to have everything pretty snug by
that time. I'll haul away the trunks when you've got 'em empty. If I
shouldn't happen to be here, you can just call me at the top of the
gangway, and I'll come. My name's Thomas," he said. He regarded Lydia
inquiringly a moment before he added: "If you'd just as lives, I
rather you'd call me Thomas, and not _steward_. They said you'd
call me steward," he explained, in a blushing, deprecating confidence;
"and as long as I've not got my growth, it kind of makes them laugh,
you know,--especially the second officer."

"I will call you Thomas," said Lydia.

"Thank you." The boy glanced up at the round clock screwed to the
cabin wall. "I guess you won't have to call me anything unless you
hurry. I shall be down here, laying the table for supper, before
you're done. The captain said I was to lay it for you and him, and