Alice and Ruth DeVere, with Russ Dalwood and Paul Ardite, were standing amidships, on the port side, looking down into the water. A little in advance of them stood Mr. Towne and Miss Pennington. The latter had been much in the new actor's company of late.
"They seem quite interested in each other," remarked Russ, in a low tone.
"Yes, they have something in common," added Alice--"a love of good clothes."
"I like nice things myself," put in Ruth, straightening a bow she wore. "You shouldn't say such things, Alice."
"Oh, but you like them in the right way--so do I, for that matter. But I don't go to the extremes they do, and neither do you."
"Hush! They'll hear you," cautioned her sister, for Alice was very impulsive at times.
Indeed the dudish actor and Miss Pennington were glancing rather curiously in the direction of our friends. Then Miss Dixon came along, whispering something that caused the other to laugh.
"Fawncy that now! Only fawncy!" exclaimed Mr. Towne, in his exaggerated English drawl. "That's a good joke--on them!"
"I wonder if they mean us?" spoke Paul. "If I thought so I'd go ask them what the joke was, so we could laugh, too."
"Oh, don't," begged Ruth, who disliked "scenes."
The mirth of Miss Dixon and Miss Pennington seemed to increase rather than diminish, and Mr. Towne was now fairly roaring with merriment. He laughed so hard, in fact, that he coughed, and leaned back against the rail for support.
And then something happened. Just how no one could explain, but Mr. Towne went overboard, his arms and legs wildly waving, and his cane flying far out into the river. He struck the water with a splash, just as one of the deckhands yelled:
Wild and excited were the cries that followed the accident. Russ and Paul were among the first to act, the former getting a life preserver from one of the racks, while Paul caught up one of the round, white life rings and tossed it far out toward a commotion in the water that indicated where Mr. Towne had disappeared. They had to throw the articles toward the stern of the steamer, as she was in motion, and Mr. Towne was soon some distance astern.
"Stop the ship!" repeated scores of voices, when the nature of the accident was understood.