ready to sing any part creditably at a moment's notice if one of the
leading artists broke down, and who was altogether one of the best,
kindest, and least conceited human beings that ever joined an opera
company. She brought her great colleague a little bunch of violets.

Least expected of them all, there was Schreiermeyer, with a basket
of grape fruit in his tightly-gloved podgy hands; and he was smiling
cheerfully, which was an event in itself. They followed Margaret up to
the promenade deck after her maids had gone below, and stood round her
in a group, all talking at once in different languages.

Griggs chanced to be the only other passenger on that part of the deck
and he joined the party, for he knew them all. Margaret gave him her
hand quietly and nodded to him. Signor Stromboli was effusive in his
greeting; Herr Tiefenbach gave him a solemn grip; little Fräulein
Ottilie smiled pleasantly, and Schreiermeyer put into his hands the
basket he carried, judging that as he could not get anything else out
of the literary man he could at least make him carry a parcel.

'Grape fruit for Cordova,' he observed. 'You can give it to the
steward, and tell him to keep the things in a cool place.'

Griggs took the basket with a slight smile, but Stromboli snatched it
from him instantly, and managed at the same time to seize upon the
book Herr Tiefenbach had brought without dropping his own big box of
sweetmeats.

'I shall give everything to the waiter!' he cried with exuberant
energy as he turned away. 'He shall take care of Cordova with his
conscience! I tell you, I will frighten him!'