"Nature and I are friends all the year round," said Annie, with a faint attempt at a smile, for she was still sick and faint. "I rather like her wild, rough moods. It has been a great trial to my patience to lie in my berth, helpless and miserable from what you well term a 'prosaic malady,' when I was longing to see the ocean. Now that we have made a desperate attempt to reach deck, there is nothing to see. Do you think this dense fog will last long?" "I hope not, especially for your sake. But do not regret coming out, for you will soon feel better for it." "I do already; I believe I could live out of doors. Have you been ill?" "O no; I should have been a sailor." "Mr. Hunting has fared almost as badly as we," said Annie, determined that they should make one group. "Indeed! I'm sorry," said Gregory, quietly. "I hate the ocean," snarled Hunting, with a grim, white face; "I'm always sick." "And I'm afraid of it," said Miss Eulie. "How can they find their way through such a mist? Then, we might run into something." "In any case you are safe, Miss Morton," said Gregory, with a smile. She gave him a bright look and replied, "I trust we all are. But the sea is rough, boisterous, treacherous, and mysterious, just the qualities I don't like. What a perfect emblem of mystery this fog is through which we are going so rapidly!" "Well," said Gregory, with one of his expressive shrugs, "I find all these experiences equally on the land, especially the latter." Annie gave him a quick, inquiring look, while color came into even Hunting's pale face. Annie felt no little curiosity as to Gregory's developing character, for though he had said nothing definite, his softened manner and quiet dignity made him seem very unlike his old self. "How do you pass your time?" she asked. "Well, I read a great deal, and I take considerable exercise, for I wish fully to regain my health." She gave him a grateful look. He was keeping his promise. She said, "You look very much better than I expected to see you, and I'm very glad, for you were almost ghostly when you left us. What do you find so interesting to read?" His color rose instantly, but he said with a smile, "A good old book that I brought with me." The expression of his face answered her swift, questioning look. It was her Bible. Neither Miss Eulie nor Hunting understood why she became so quiet; but the latter, who was watching them closely, thought he detected some secret understanding. In his jealous egotism it could only mean what was adverse to himself, and he had an attack of something worse than sea-sickness. Gregory quietly turned the conversation upon ocean travel, and for a half-hour entertained the ladies without any effort on their part, and then they went back to their state-rooms.