He had always been afflicted with a slight nasal trouble, and smoke irritated him.

It set him sneezing, and kept him dodging about the fire, and Celie was laughing as the smoke persisted in following him about, like a young scamp of a boy bent on tormenting him.

The smoke was unusually persistent on this particular night, until at last the laughter went out of the girl's face, and she ran into his arms and covered his eyes with her soft hands.

Restlessly he tossed in his bunk, and buried his face in the blanket that answered for a pillow.

The smoke reached him; even there, and he sneezed chokingly.