“Yes; that sounds all right, but it’s pretty hard to be cheerful when everything’s going wrong,” said Jessie, pessimistically. “I don’t notice that anybody looks particularly happy these days, anyway.”
“That’s no reason why we shouldn’t be the exception,” said Lucile, shaking off the weight of depression with an effort and smiling bravely. “You never know what you can do till you try.”
“Miss Howland always used to say that. We’ll see her and the girls soon, anyway, and that’s one big consolation,” said Jessie, brightening perceptibly.
“Somewhere the sun is shining,” began Lucile.
“Somewhere the world is gay,” added Jessie.
Evelyn flung her arms about her friends. “Somewhere the bells are chiming——”
“And that’s in the U. S. A.,” finished Lucile, and they went down laughing.
Mr. Payton met them at the foot of the stairs, and the frown on his anxious face turned to a smile as he heard the merry laughter.
“It does me good just to look at you,” he said, sincerely.
It was their third night out. In accordance with the strict orders of the captain, there were no lights on board, for there might be hostile warcraft lurking near. So the ship stole silently as a ghost through the mists that shrouded her.