Page:Dangerous Business (1927).pdf/132

 "No; not below," agreed Ellen; and she gazed at him for long seconds with her gray, steady eyes. No one knew so well as she the hounding this boy had received to drive him to seriousness, to work, to duty; no one knew so well how it set up, inevitably, antagonism. Then there was some experience, something to do with that Nucast order and his marriage, which she did not know. She asked, very gently; "What is it little boys want to be?"

"Why," said Jay, wondering but seeing she was completely earnest, "why, firemen and Indian fighters and"

"And ship-captains, don't they?"

"Yes."

"Then what do they do?"

"What?"

"They grow up."

"Wow!" said Jay softly. "Wow!" and he was fiery red and perspiring and felt it.

She bent forward from his father's big chair, in which she was sitting, and caught his sleeve. "I'm not criticizing my father!" she cried. "He's the finest, finest man I ever knew! I wouldn't have any one else for a father! I wouldn't have him off his ship! I'm proud to be his daughter. You know him!"

"I know him," said Jay. "I know your remark was meant solely for me. Thanks."

"I meant"

"I said 'thanks, Jay repeated and, gazing into her gray eyes, he thought of Lida's black ones and her white body on her crimson scarf when she would have