"I never saw a game in my life."

"What! you an American girl, and never saw a game of base-ball? Why, I
am astonished."

"I did not say that I was an American girl."

"Oh, that's a fact. I took you for one, however."

They were both of them so intent on their conversation in walking up the
narrow way between the long table and the short ones, that neither of
them noticed the handsome blonde young lady standing beside her chair
looking at them. It was only when that young lady said, "Why, Mr.
Morris, is this you?" and when that gentleman jumped as if a cannon
had been fired beside him, that either of them noticed their fair
fellow-traveller.

"Y--es," stammered Morris, "it is!"

The young lady smiled sweetly and held out her hand, which Morris took
in an awkward way.

"I was just going to ask you," she said, "when you came aboard. How
ridiculous that would have been. Of course, you have been here all the
time. Isn't it curious that we have not met each other?--we of all
persons in the world."

Morris, who had somewhat recovered his breath, looked steadily at her as
she said this, and her eyes, after encountering his gaze for a moment,
sank to the floor.