“I guessed that much.”
“How?”
“That’s what the man and the woman called me.”
“The man and the woman?” For a moment the girl’s face was puzzled. Then, “Oh yes, I——”
She paused for a moment as if about to tell something about the strange man and woman who had told Florence that the train left at eleven-thirty. If this had been her intention she thought better of it, for presently she said:
“My mother and father are dead. Since I was ten years old I’ve lived with my uncle, mostly on ships.”
“How—how thrilling!”
“Well, maybe, but you don’t learn much on ships. There’s an old saying: ‘You can’t go to school if you live on a canal boat.’ Ships are about as bad. I’ve got through eighth grade, though, and I want to go some more. That day I took your place and you wore my clothes I——”
“Who—who’s that?” Florence had heard the movement of feet outside.
“No friend of mine; not this time of night. Must be yours.”