Page 169 of 416

She also remembered the night of the mass-meeting in Odd Fellows

Hall when Code had made his suggestion of going to the Banks.

There had flashed between Elsa's velvet-dark eyes and Code's blue

ones a message of intimacy of which the town knew nothing. Every

one saw the look, and nearly every one talked about it, but they

did not know that only a couple of nights before Elsa had been

the one to put Code on guard against his enemies, and that he was

more than grateful.

"I'd just like to know what's in that letter so as to tease him

the next time we meet," she said gaily to herself. She was now

out of all mood for writing her letter home, and, stuffing the

contents of the drawer back into place, she returned the latter

to the table and went on deck.

The sea was running higher. The new topmast was up, and within

half an hour the Rosan heeled to the wind and plowed her way

northward after the remainder of the fleet.

CHAPTER XV

THE CATCH OF THE ROSAN