पृष्ठ 178 / 416

"Well, you know, you surprised everybody by leaving the Head

before the rest of the fleet. Elsa had it in mind to give you

this packet, she says, before you left. But when you went so

suddenly she asked father to give it to you. She said she

expected the Rosan would catch the Lass on the Banks. At least,

this is the yarn dad told me."

"She seems to know considerable about the Banks and the ways of

fishermen," he said, with an unconscious ring of enthusiasm in

his tone.

"Yes; you'd think she pulled her own dory instead of being the

richest woman in New Brunswick."

Code looked at his old sweetheart in amazement. He had never seen

her so disagreeable. His eye fell upon her left hand.

For a moment his mind did not register an impression. Then all of

a sudden it flashed upon him that her ring was gone.

"Oh, that explains everything!" he said to himself. "She has

either lost it or quarreled with Nat, and it's no wonder she is

unhappy."