"And oh, Big Bear, I
know such a lot."
Merefleet looked at her sharply and surprised an expression on her face
which he did not easily forget.
He knew in that moment that this woman had suffered, and his heart gave
a wild, tumultuous throb. From that moment he also knew that she had
taken his heart by storm.
CHAPTER XI
Half-an-hour later they were out on the open sea beyond the harbour in a
cockleshell even frailer than Quiller's little craft which they had not
been able to secure.
The sea was very quiet, only broken by an occasional long swell that
drove them southward like driftwood. Merefleet, who had been persuaded
to quit the harbour against his better judgment, was not greatly
disturbed by this fact. He did not anticipate any difficulty in
returning. A little extra labour was the worst he expected, for he knew
that a southward course would bring him into no awkward currents. Away to
the eastward he was aware of treacherous streams and shoals. But he had
no intention of going in that direction, and Mab, who steered, knew the
water well.
There was no sun, a circumstance which Mab deplored, but for which
Merefleet was profoundly grateful.
"You're not nearly so lazy as you used to be," she said to him
approvingly, as he rested his oars after a long pull.
"No," said Merefleet. "I am beginning to see the error of my ways."
"I'm real glad to hear you say so," she said heartily.
Pages:
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298