"Father," said his daughter, "she is just the sweetest and prettiest girl you ever saw in your life. I met her when we first came on board, but as the sea was a little too rough for her she had to retire to her room, and I hardly think that we will have the pleasure of seeing her again before tomorrow. Mr. Olcott, her brother, Mr. Fearnot tells me, is an awful victim to seasickness, and that he says and does funny things while old Neptune has a grip on him."
Then she suddenly asked her father how her mother was.
"Oh, she is in her room actually groaning and making believe that she is going to die."
"Oh, she does that every time she sails," and the girl laughed merrily.
Mr. Elon remained with her and Fred for at least a half hour. Then he drew a package of cigars from his pocket said tendered one to Fred.
"Thank you, sir; but I never smoke."
"Well you will excuse me, then, if I indulge."
"Certainly, sir; certainly." So he retired to the further side of the deck and lit a cigar by using a match made in Sweden which the fiercest wind cannot extinguish.
Then he began puffing furiously.
The girl squeezed Fred's arm and said: