"Oh, rather!" Dick's face suddenly lit up. "I like the ship—but I'm awfully keen to see father."
"Whose father?"
"Mine, of course. He's coming out from England—we're going to meet him at Fremantle."
"Oh, I didn't know," Merle said. "Has he been long away?
"Over a year," Dick said. "Seems about ten."
"A year!" Merle's eyes grew round. Life without a father seemed an impossible thing.
"'M," Dick nodded. "It's been jolly nice to be with your father on this ship. A fellow misses his father a bit, I can tell you."
"'Spect you do," Merle said. "When's yours coming?"
"To-morrow, some time, his boat gets in," Dick answered. "He's on the Ohio." His eyes were dancing; somehow, as Merle met their glance, she smiled in spite of herself. "I guess mother and I will be on the old pier pretty early."
There was a moment's pause, while they looked at each other like two awkward young puppies.