Joe, observing Ralph's glances toward the steamboat, laughed in his uproarious way. "The kid's askeered of a petticoat!" he cried. "Go ahead, boy; it won't bite you!"
Ralph could cheerfully have brained Joe where he sat. He was obliged, however, to turn it off with the best smile he could muster. At the same time Joe's jibe gave him an idea. He took care to finish before the others, and went on the boat, muttering something about getting tobacco.
"Be up and down with her, kid," cried Joe. "Half measures won't get you nowhere!"
"Fine night," said Ralph to Nahnya, loud enough for those on shore to hear.
"Yes," she said, with exactly the same manner she had adopted toward them all.
It dashed him a little. He went on inside to get tobacco out of his dunnage bag. When he came out again, she pointedly looked away across the river.
Ralph came close to her, and lowered his voice; anxiety made him rough. "How are you going to manage to-night?" he asked.
"What do you want to know for?" she said coolly, without looking at him.
The blood rushed to Ralph's face; his temper had already been put to a strain one way and another. "I was only thinking of your safety," he said hotly.
"You don't have to," she said. "I can take care of myself."