This was where Elliot had expected to find her, but now that
the moment of attack had come he had to take his fear by the throat.
When he had thought of it first there seemed nothing difficult about
offering to do her a kindness, yet he found himself shrinking from the
chance of a rebuff.
He moved over to where she sat and lifted his hat. "I hope you won't
think it a liberty, Miss O'Neill, but I've brought you some rubbers from
a store uptown. I noticed you couldn't get ashore without them."
Gordon tore the paper wrapping from his package and disclosed half a
dozen pairs of rubbers.
The girl was visibly embarrassed. She was not at all certain of the
right thing to do. Where she had been brought up young men did not offer
courtesies of this sort so informally.
"I--I think I won't need them, thank you. I've decided not to leave the
boat," she answered shyly.
Elliot had never been accused of being a quitter. Having begun this, he
proposed to see it out. He caught sight of the purser superintending the
discharge of cargo and called to him by name. The officer joined them,
a pad of paper and a pencil in his hand.
"I'm trying to persuade Miss O'Neill that she ought to go ashore while
we're lying here.
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