the short funnel of the stove and soon afterward the cabin slide opened.
Miss Blake crept out and stood in the well, gazing forward while she
clutched the coaming.

Day was now breaking, and Vane could see that the girl's thin dress was
blown flat against her. There was something graceful in her pose, and it
struck him again that her figure was daintily slender. She wore no hat,
and it was evident that the wild plunging had no effect on her. He waited
uneasily until she turned and faced him.

"We are going out to sea," she said. "Where's the steamer?"

It was a question Vane had dreaded; but he answered it honestly.

"I can't tell you. It's very likely that she has gone straight on to
Victoria."

He saw the suspicion in her suddenly hardening face, but the quick anger
in it pleased him. He had not expected her to be prudish, but it was
clear that the situation did not appeal to her.

"You expected this when you asked us to come on board!" she cried.

"No," Vane replied quietly; "on my honor, I did nothing of the kind.
There was only a moderate breeze when we left, and when it freshened
enough to make it unlikely that the steamer would run in, I was as vexed
as you seem to be. As it happened, I couldn't go back; I must get on to
Victoria as soon as possible."

She looked at him searchingly, but he fancied that she was slightly