“Dear Alice!” murmured Ruth, and she bent over her for a moment, and kissed her lightly on the cheek—­as gently as the fall of a rose petal.  Soon the older sister, too, was asleep.

In order that there might be no trouble among the members of the moving picture company over the statement made in the newspaper that perhaps the two girls had fallen victims to alligators, Ruth, next morning, carefully cut out the item, and put it away among her things.

“It may be silly,” she said to Alice, “but—­”

“It is silly to imagine anything like that,” was the quick retort.

“But it’s best to be on the safe side,” finished Ruth, gently.  “Mr. Sneed is so peculiar.”

“I agree with you there, sister mine.  Well, you’ve taken the precautions, anyhow.  My, I’m hungry!  I hope breakfast is ready.”

“You are not troubled with mal-de-mer, then?”

“Not a bit of it, and I never was out on the ocean before.  It isn’t a bit rough; is it?”

“Well, we did roll some during the night, but then the sea is calm.  Wait until we get a storm.”

“I do hope one comes!”

“Alice DeVere!”

“Well, I mean just a little one, with waves like little hills, instead mountains.”

The only members of the film company who did not present themselves at the breakfast table were Miss Pennington and Miss Dixon.

They breakfasted in their staterooms, but it was noticed that the trays came out about as well filled as they went in, from which it might be gathered that they were not altogether free from the toll the sea exacts from most travelers.

“My, how charming you look!” observed Paul to Alice as he joined her on deck, and arranged her steamer chair out of the wind.  She had on a new jacket, and a little toque, the brown fur of which matched her eyes, and brought out, in contrast, the damask of her cheeks.

“Thank you,” she laughed in retort.  “I might say the same of you.  That’s a good-looking coat.”

“A little different from the usual, yes.  The man said it was imported—­”

“Just as if that made it any better.”

“It doesn’t—­only different.  Where did you get that rug?  It’s an odd pattern.”

“My!  But the compliments are flying this morning.  It’s one daddy picked up somewhere.  Isn’t the weather glorious?”

“Now we’re on a safe topic,” laughed Paul.  “Here come Russ and Ruth.  My, but she’s stunning!”

“I’m glad you appreciate her,” Alice said.  Really, Ruth made a picture, for she had on a long white cloak, and with a turban trimmed with ermine, and her fair hair and blue eyes, she looked like some Siberian princess, if they have princesses there, and I suppose they must.

The four young people chatted and laughed together, while the Tarsus plowed on her way.  It was a day of idleness, save that Russ took a few pictures of scenes on shipboard for future use.