贝丝的父母对贝丝出游一事只是敷衍祝福，漠不关心。离别在即，女孩们和自己的亲人道别，大船驶向了直布罗陀海峡。三个女孩在船上结识了很多人，贝丝认识了同是来自俄亥俄州的霍顿兄妹，帕齐与船长成了朋友，还认识了有几分神秘色彩的维克多·瓦尔迪。
For an inexperienced tourist Uncle John managed their arrangements most admirably.He knew nothing at all about ocean travel or what was the proper method to secure comfortable accommodations；but while most of the passengers were writing hurried letters in the second deck gallery，which were to be sent back by the pilot，Mr.Merrick took occasion to interview the chief steward and the deck steward and whatever other official he could find，and purchased their good will so liberally that the effect of his astutea diplomacy was immediately apparent.
His nieces found that the sunniest deck chairs bore their names；the most desirable seats in the dining hall were theirs when，half famishedb because breakfast had been disregarded，they trooped in to luncheon；the best waiters on the ship attended to their wants，and afterward their cabins were found to be cosily arranged with every comfort the heartof maid could wish for.
At luncheon it was found that the steward had placed a letter before Uncle John's plate.The handwriting of the address Louise，who sat next her uncle，at once recognized as that of her mother；but she said nothing.
Mr.Merrick was amazed at the contents of the communication，especially as he had so recently parted with the lady who had written it.
It said："I must warn you，John，that my daughter hasjust escaped a serious entanglementa，and I am therefore more grateful than I can express that you are taking her far from home for a few weeks.A young man named Arthur Weldon—a son of the big railroad president，you know—has been paying Louise marked attentions lately；but I cautioned her not to encourage him because a rumor had reached me that he has quarrelled with his father and been disinherited.My informantb also asserted that the young man is wild and headstrong and cannot be controlled by his parent；but he always seemed gentlemanly enough at our house，and my greatest objection to him is that he is not likely to inherit a dollar of his father's money.Louise and I decided to keep him dangling until we could learn the truth of this matter，for you can easily understand that with her exceptional attractions there is no object in Louise throwing herself away upon a poor man，or one who cannot give her a prominent position in society.Imagine my horror，John，when I discovered last evening that my only child，whom I have so fondly cherished，has ungratefully deceived me.Carried away by the impetuousc avowals of this young scapegraced，whom his own father disowns，she has confessed her love for him—love for a pauper！—and only by the most stringente exercise of my authority have I been able to exact from Louise a promise that she will not become formallyengaged to Arthur Weldon，or even correspond with him，until she has returned home.By that time I shall have learned more of his history and prospects，when I can better decide whether to allow the affair to go on.Of course I have hopes that in case my fears are proven to have been well founded，I can arouse Louise to a proper spirit and induce her to throw the fellow over.Meantime，I implorea you，as my daughter's temporary guardian，not to allow Louise to speak of or dwell upon this young man，but try to interest her in other gentlemen whom you may meet and lead her to forget，if possible，her miserable entanglement.Consider a loving mother's feelings，John.Try to help me in this emergency，and I shall be forever deeply grateful.""It's from mother，isn't it ？"asked Louise，when he had？nished reading the letter.
"Yes，"he answered grufflyb，as he crumpled the missive and stuffed it into his pocket.
"What does she say，Uncle？"
"Nothing but rubbish and nonsense.Eat your soup，my dear；it's getting cold."The girl's sweet，low laughter sounded very pleasant，and served to calm his irritation.From her demurec yet amused expression Uncle John guessed that Louise knew the tenordof her mother's letter as well as if she had read it over his shoulder，and it comforted him that she could take the matter so lightly.Perhaps the poor child was not so deeply in love as her mother had declared.
He was greatly annoyed at the confidence Mrs.Merrick had seen fit to repose in him，and felt she had no right to burden him with any knowledge of such an absurd condition of affairs just as he was starting for a holiday.Whatever might be the truth of the girl's "entanglement，"—and he judged thatit was not all conveyed in Martha Merrick's subtle letter—Louise would surely be free and unhampered by either love or maternal diplomacy for some time to come.When she returned home her mother might conduct the affair to suit herself.He would have nothing to do with it in any way.
As soon as luncheon was finished they rushed for the deck，and you may imagine that chubby little Uncle John，with his rosy，smiling face and kindly eyes，surrounded by three eager and attractive girls of from fifteen to seventeen years of age，was a sight to compel the attention of every passenger aboard the ship.
It was found easy to make the acquaintance of the interesting group，and many took advantage of that fact；for Uncle John chatted brightly with every man and Patsy required no excuse of a formal introduction to con？de to every woman that John Merrick was taking his three nieces to Europe to "see the sightsand have the time of their lives."Many of the business men knew well the millionaire's name，and accorded him great respect because he was so enormously wealthy and successful.But the little man was so genuinely human and unaffected and so openly scorned alltoadyisma that they soon forgot his greatness in the ？nancial world and accepted him simply as a good fellow and an invariably cheerful comrade.
