George Morris watched her turn leaf after leaf as he reclined lazily in
his chair, with half-closed eyes, and said to himself, "Shop-girl or
not, past or not, I'm going to propose to that young lady the first good
opportunity I get. I wonder what she will say?"

"How do you like it?" cried the young lady he was thinking of, with a
suddenness that made Morris jump in his chair.

"Like it?" he cried; "oh, I like it immensely."

"How far have you got?" she continued.

"How far? Oh, a great distance. Very much further than I would have
thought it possible when I began this voyage."

Miss Earle turned and looked at him with wide-open eyes, as he made this
strange reply.

"What are you speaking of?" she said.

"Oh, of everything--of the book, of the voyage, of the day."

"I was speaking of the book," she replied quietly. "Are you sure you
have not fallen asleep and been dreaming?"

"Fallen asleep? No. Dreaming? Yes."

"Well, I hope your dreams have been pleasant ones."