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accident of hospitality； and keeps his state…room。 The captain is
a good fellow；〃 continued Perkins； with gentle enthusiasm； 〃a good
sailor and careful navigator； and exceedingly attentive to his
passengers。 I shall certainly propose getting up some testimonial
for him。〃
〃But if he's shut up in his state…room； who's giving the orders？〃
began Banks angrily。
Senor Perkins put up a small； well…kept hand deprecatingly。
〃Really； my dear boy； I suppose the captain cannot be omnipresent。
Some discretion must be left to the other officers。 They probably
know his ideas and what is to be done better than we do。 You
business men trouble yourselves too much about these things。 You
should take them more philosophically。 For my part I always
confide myself trustingly to these people。 I enter a ship or
railroad car with perfect faith。 I say to myself； 'This captain；
or this conductor； is a responsible man； selected with a view to my
safety and comfort； he understands how to procure that safety and
that comfort better than I do。 He worries himself； he spends hours
and nights of vigil to look after me and carry me to my
destination。 Why should I worry myself； who can only assist him by
passive obedience？ Why'〃 But here he was interrupted by a
headlong plunge of the Excelsior； a feminine shriek that was half a
laugh； the rapid patter of small feet and sweep of flying skirts
down the slanting deck； and the sudden and violent contact of a
pretty figure。
The next moment he had forgotten his philosophy； and his companion
his business。 Both flew to the assistance of the fair intruder；
who； albeit the least injured of the trio； clung breathlessly to
the bulwarks。
〃Miss Keene！〃 ejaculated both gentlemen。
〃Oh dear！ I beg your pardon；〃 said the young lady； reddening； with
a naive mingling of hilarity and embarrassment。 〃But it seemed so
stuffy in the cabin； and it seemed so easy to get out on deck and
pull myself up by the railings； and just as I got up here； I
suddenly seemed to be sliding down the roof of a house。〃
〃And now that you're here； your courage should be rewarded；〃 said
the Senor； gallantly assisting her to a settee； which he lashed
securely。 〃You are perfectly safe now；〃 he added； holding the end
of the rope in his hand to allow a slight sliding movement of the
seat as the vessel rolled。 〃And here is a glorious spectacle for
you。 Look！ the sun is just rising。〃
The young girl glanced over the vast expanse before her with
sparkling eyes and a suddenly awakened fancy that checked her
embarrassed smile； and fixed her pretty； parted lips with wonder。
The level rays of the rising sun striking the white crests of the
lifted waves had suffused the whole ocean with a pinkish opal
color： the darker parts of each wave seemed broken into facets
instead of curves； and glittered sharply。 The sea seemed to have
lost its fluidity； and become vitreous； so much so； that it was
difficult to believe that the waves which splintered across the
Excelsior's bow did not fall upon her deck with the ring of
shattered glass。
〃Sindbad's Valley of Diamonds！〃 said the young girl； in an awed
whisper。
〃It's a cross sea in the Gulf of California； so the mate says；〃
said Banks practically； 〃but I don't see why we〃 。 。 。
〃The Gulf of California？〃 repeated the young girl； while a slight
shade of disappointment passed over her bright face； 〃are we then
so near〃
〃Not the California you mean； my dear young lady；〃 broke in Senor
Perkins； 〃but the old peninsula of California； which is still a
part of Mexico。 It terminates in Cape St。 Lucas； a hundred miles
from here； but it's still a far cry to San Francisco； which is in
Upper California。 But I fancy you don't seem as anxious as our
friend Mr。 Banks to get to your journey's end；〃 he added； with
paternal blandness。
The look of relief which had passed over Miss Keene's truthful face
gave way to one of slight embarrassment。
〃It hasn't seemed long；〃 she said hastily； and then added； as if to
turn the conversation； 〃What is this peninsula？ I remember it on
our map at school。〃
〃It's not of much account；〃 interrupted Banks positively。 〃There
ain't a place on it you ever heard of。 It's a kind of wilderness。〃
〃I differ from you；〃 said Senor Perkins gravely。 〃There are； I
have been told； some old Mexican settlements along the coast； and
there is no reason why the country shouldn't be fruitful。 But you
may have a chance to judge for yourself；〃 he continued beamingly。
Since we are not going into Mazatlan； we may drop in at some of
those places for water。 It's all on our way； and we shall save the
three days we would have lost had we touched Mazatlan。 That；〃 he
added； answering an impatient interrogation in Banks' eye； 〃at
least； is the captain's idea； I reckon。〃 He laughed； and went on
still gayly；〃But what's the use of anticipating？ Why should we
spoil any little surprise that our gallant captain may have in
store for us？ I've been trying to convert this business man to my
easy philosophy； Miss Keene； but he is incorrigible； he is actually
lamenting his lost chance of hearing the latest news at Mazatlan；
and getting the latest market quotations； instead of offering a
thanksgiving for another uninterrupted day of freedom in this
glorious air。〃
With a half humorous extravagance he unloosed his already loose
necktie； turned his Byron collar still lower； and squared his
shoulders ostentatiously to the sea breeze。 Accustomed as his two
companions were to his habitually extravagant speech； it did not at
that moment seem inconsistent with the intoxicating morning air and
the exhilaration of sky and wave。 A breath of awakening and
resurrection moved over the face of the waters； recreation and new…
born life sparkled everywhere； the past night seemed forever buried
in the vast and exundating sea。 The reefs had been shaken out； and
every sail set to catch the steadier breeze of the day； and as the
quickening sun shone upon the dazzling canvas that seemed to
envelop them； they felt as if wrapped in the purity of a baptismal
robe。
Nevertheless； Miss Keene's eyes occasionally wandered from the
charming prospect towards the companion…ladder。 Presently she
became ominously and ostentatiously interested in the view again；
and at the same moment a young man's head and shoulders appeared
above the companionway。 With a bound he was on the slanting deck；
moving with the agility and adaptability of youth； and approached
the group。 He was quite surprised to find Miss Keene there so
early； and Miss Keene was equally surprised at his appearance；
notwithstanding the phenomenon had occurred with singular
regularity for the last three weeks。 The two spectators of this
gentle comedy received it as they had often received it before；
with a mixture of apparent astonishment and patronizing
unconsciousness； and； after a decent interval； moved away together；
leaving the young people alone。
The hesitancy and awkwardness which usually followed the first
moments of their charming isolation were this morning more than
usually prolonged。
〃It seems we are not going into Mazatlan； after all；〃 said Miss
Keene at last； without lifting her conscious eyes from the sea。
〃No；〃 returned the young fellow quickly。 〃I heard all about it
down below； and we had quite an indignation meeting over it。 I
believe Mrs。 Markham wanted to head a deputation to wait upon the
captain in his berth。 It seems that the first officer； or
whosoever is running the ship； has concluded we've lost too much
time already； and we're going to strike a bee…line for Cape St。
Lucas； and give Mazatlan the go…by。 We'll save four days by it。 I
suppose it don't make any difference to you； Miss Keene； does it？〃
〃I？ Oh； no！〃 said the girl hastily。
〃I'M rather sorry；〃 he said hesitatingly。
〃Indeed。 Are you tired of the ship？〃 she asked saucily。
〃No；〃 he replied bluntly； 〃but it would have given us four more
days togetherfour more days before we separated。〃
He stopped； with a heightened color。 There was a moment of
silence； and the voices of Senor Perkins and Mr。 Banks in political
discussion on the other side of the deck came faintly。 Miss Keene
laughed。
〃We are a long way from San Francisco yet； and you may think
differently。〃
〃Never！〃 he said； impulsively。
He had drawn closer to her； as if to emphasize his speech。 She
cast a quick glance across the deck towards the two disputants； and
drew herself gently away。
〃Do you know；〃 she said suddenly； with a charming smile which
robbed the act of its sting； 〃I sometimes wonder if I am REALLY
going to San Francisco。 I don't know how it is； but； somehow； I
never can SEE myself there。〃
〃I wish you did； for I'M going there；〃 he replied boldly。
Without appearing to notice the signifi