The rain ceased, the clouds parted, and the sun turned the muddy river to gold.  The bluffs shone May-green in the western flood of light, and a haze hung over the bottom-lands.  Not a sound disturbed the quiet of the city receding to the northward, and the rain had washed the pall of smoke from over it.  On the boat excited voices died down to natural tones; men smoked on the guards and promenaded on the hurricane deck, as if this were some pleasant excursion.  Women waved to the other boats flocking after.  Laughter was heard, and joking.  Mrs. Colfax stirred in her berth and began to talk.

“Virginia, where are we going?” Virginia did not move

“Jinny!”

She turned.  In that hour she remembered that great good-natured man, her mother’s brother, and for his sake Colonel Carvel had put up with much from his wife’s sister in-law.  She could pass over, but never forgive what her aunt had said to her that afternoon.  Mrs. Colfax had often been cruel before, and inconsiderate.  But as the girl thought of the speech, staring out on the waters, it suddenly occurred to her that no lady would have uttered it.  In all her life she had never realized till now that her aunt was not a lady.  From that time forth Virginia’s attitude toward her aunt was changed.

She controlled herself, however, and answered something, and went out listlessly to find the Captain and inquire the destination of the boat.  Not that this mattered much to her.  At the foot of the companionway leading to the saloon deck she saw, of all people, Mr. Eliphalet Hopper leaning on the rail, and pensively expectorating on the roof of the wheel-house.  In another mood Virginia would have laughed, for at sight of her he straightened convulsively, thrust his quid into his cheek, and removed his hat with more zeal than the grudging deference he usually accorded to the sex.  Clearly Eliphalet would not have chosen the situation.

“I cal’late we didn’t get out any too soon, Miss Carvel,” he remarked, with a sad attempt at jocoseness.  “There won’t be a great deal in that town when the Dutch get through with it.”

“I think that there are enough men left in it to save it,” said Virginia.

Apparently Mr. Hopper found no suitable answer to this, for he made none.  He continued to glance at her uneasily.  There was an impudent tribute in his look which she resented strongly.

“Where is the Captain?” she demanded.

“He’s down below—­ma’am,” he replied.  “Can—­can I do anything?”

“Yes,” she said, with abrupt maliciousness, “you may tell me where you are going.”

“I cal’late, up the Cumberland River.  That’s where she’s bound for, if she don’t stop before she gets there Guess there ain’t many of ’em inquired where she was goin’, or cared much,” he added, with a ghastly effort to be genial.

“Do you care?” she demanded, curiously.  Eliphalet grinned.

“Not a great deal,” he said.  Then he felt called upon to defend himself.  “I didn’t see any use in gettin’ murdered, when I couldn’t do anything.”