“Fifteen cents! My heart!—I—I—What can I do? Will the captain drop me—in the—river? Will—”
The stewardess was very busy. People were watching her a little anxiously because of her indifferent handling of her money and the tickets she had not hurried to bring; and the sudden terrified clutch at her skirts which Alfy gave set her tripping among the crowded chairs and made her answer, crossly:
“For goodness sake, girl, keep out from under foot! If you haven’t the money go to your friends and get it!”
“Friends! I haven’t got any!” cried Alfaretta, and flung her skirt over her face and herself down upon the nearest seat.
From their own place Molly and Dolly watched this little by-play for a moment, then darted forward themselves to see what was the matter.
“Why, Alfy dear, what’s happened? Won’t the woman get your ticket for you? Never mind. I’ll ask her. Maybe she will for me.”
“You needn’t, Dolly girl! There ain’t enough and I’m afraid they’ll drop me off into the water! She—she—”
“Alfy! How silly! Nobody would do such a thing. It would be murder. But you shouldn’t have come unless you had the money and I’ll go ask Miss Greatorex for some. She has our purses in her satchel, taking care of them for us. Wait a minute. You stay with her, Molly, while I go get it. How much, Alfy?”
The girl began to count upon her fingers:
“Four—that’s what I have and it was meant for candy for the children—five, six—How many more’n four does it take to make fifteen I wonder? I’m so scared I can’t think. And I wish, I—wish—to—goodness—knows I’d ha’ said good-by back there to the dock and not let myself get carried off down river to nobody knows where. If they dassent to drop me off the boat they might keep me here till I paid—”