"Ah! I wonder. Perhaps you will think that is worse still. I _hope_ you won't!" Katrine was conscious of a moment of actual nervousness; she played with her knife and fork, waited until the conversation swelled to a louder pitch, and turning towards him spoke in a whisper. "The other man is dying of consumption. He is also drunk every night in the card-room. No other woman will look at him. They cut me because I do. We are great friends." Again their eyes met, but this time it was her turn to look grave, while he smiled a smile of unexpected sweetness. "He was with you, I think, this afternoon beside that hydrant. I'm glad you are kind to him." Katrine was conscious of a great relief. Her spirits rose; she straightened herself with an agreeable tingling of blood, caught a glance directed to her from afar, and divined, with a woman's content, that she was looking her best. She drew her breath in a soft, fluttering sigh. "Ah! I'm so glad. I was afraid you'd be shocked. And you will help? He needs a man friend--a strong man--who will be kind, and not judge. And you can be with him more, do so much more than I." "I'm afraid he is very ill." The tone, like the words, seemed lacking in fervour. Katrine had spoken with so intimate an appeal for help that she could not resist a momentary chill. She sat silent, wondering if she had been too quick to claim the privileges of friendship, recalling for her own comfort Jim Blair's words: "A curt, shy manner." That was the explanation! Only manner. The deep, smiling glance had already pledged help. She might be satisfied of its fulfilment. After dinner Bedford joined her on deck. The vessel was steaming its slow course through the canal, and Katrine leaned over the rail gazing at the monotonous banks, listening to her companion's explanatory conversation with difficult attention. She was so much more interested in himself than in geographical facts; she wanted to talk of himself, his health, of his winter's experiences! "Six miles an hour... Even if we put on full steam we could go no faster, for the bed is so narrow that if the screw revolves too rapidly, it merely draws the water backwards. Extra depth would be even more valuable than extra width. Years ago I was on board the _Ophir_, and we entered the canal to find a German vessel run aground. For five days we were stuck there until sixty-three vessels were waiting to get through." "Sixty-three!" Katrine was startled out of her indifference. "For five days! What did you do?" "Fifty-five of the boats flew the English flag. Their passengers amused themselves playing cricket and polo in the desert. The others--swore!" "But--" Katrine looked blank, "it might have been dreadful! Suppose there had been a war! What would they have done then?" Captain Bedford smiled, but with a slight curl of the lip.