“Well,” he said, “I can only repeat that I do hope she’s a nice aunt.”
Roberta smiled at him and wished, though he was kind, that he would go away. A steward came along the deck carrying letters.
“Here’s the mail from the pilot boat,” said her companion.
Roberta didn’t know whether to expect a letter or not. The steward gave her two and a wireless message. She opened the wireless first and in another second her companion heard her give a little cry. He looked up from his own letter. Roberta’s dark eyes shone and her whole face seemed to have come brilliantly to life.
“Good news?”
“ Oh yes! Yes. It’s from my greatest friends. I’m to stay with them first. They’re coming to the ship. My aunt’s ill or something and I’m to go to them.”
‘That’s good news?”
“It’s splendid news. I knew them in New Zealand, you see, but I haven’t seen them for years.”
Roberta no longer wished that he would go away. She was so excited that she felt she must speak of her good fortune.
“I wrote and told them I was coming but the letter went by air-mail on the day I sailed.” She looked at her letters. “This one’s from Charlot.”