"I don't know that she was very much interested--but still she let me.

She never cut me short." All the sympathies of Mr.Powell were for Flora Anthony nee de Barral.
She was the only human being younger than himself on board that ship since the _Ferndale_ carried no boys and was manned by a full crew of able seamen.

Yes! their youth had created a sort of bond between them.
Mr.Powell's open countenance must have appeared to her distinctly pleasing amongst the mature, rough, crabbed or even inimical faces she saw around her.

With the warm generosity of his age young Powell was on her side, as it were, even before he knew that there were sides to be taken on board that ship, and what this taking sides was about.

There was a girl.