“You would understand it even less, if you have seen the villain in the piece,” Laura volunteered. She liked mysteries. “If I were in your shoes,” she continued, “I wouldn’t venture out of this cabin at any time during the crossing and I wouldn’t let a morsel of food cross my lips until some one had tasted it. At night, I’d lock that porthole and bar the door, and I’d never stay alone for a second. You’re in danger, lass.” She shook her head sadly. “There’s a deep, deep plot,” she added, as she saw that Bess seemed to be believing every single word of what she was saying, “to do away with you. Only the utmost caution will ever get you over this Atlantic Ocean alive.” Her voice was deep and husky as she finished the sentence, and her eyes stared ahead as though she could see into the future.
“Oh, Laura, be still,” Nan laughed at her friend. “You have Bess believing you now, and if you are not careful, she’ll be seeing hunch-backed men disappearing into every cabin along that corridor.”
Bess said nothing. Her busy mind was remembering Papa Sherwood’s warning just before he left the boat. “There are those at Emberon,” he had said, “that might want to do you harm. Be careful!” Again, as then, she had a vague feeling that there was something that had happened in the past, something strange and mysterious, that she ought to remember. Again, it eluded her.
She shook herself, partly in annoyance, partly to bring herself back to the present and cabin 648. “He’s awfully slow in bringing that baggage, isn’t he?” she asked.
Amelia looked at her watch. “Yes, he’s been gone fifteen minutes,” she answered. “Maybe you had better ring for another steward, Nan. There is something queer about all of this.”
“Yes, do!” Grace urged. “I feel rather frightened.”
“Now there is no sense in getting all worked up over nothing.” Nan was the only one who really appeared calm. “Baggage often gets mixed in the boats.”
“Nan, will you please stop being calm, and do something?” Bess was working herself up into a real frenzy. “Maybe someone has stolen your luggage.”
“Then you’ll have to wear my clothes and will you ever be a sight!” This from Amelia who was fully two inches taller than Nan and much, much thinner.
“Or mine,” This for Laura who was shorter than Nan, and plumper.