Louise，discovering this state of affairs，gave an amused laugh and joined the group.She was a little provoked that she had isolated herself so long in her cabin when there was interesting sport on deck；but having lost some valuable time she straightway applied herself to redeema the situation.
In the brilliance of her conversation，in her studiedglances，in a thousand pretty ways that were skillfully rendered effective，she had a decided advantage over her more beautiful cousin.When Louise really desired to please she was indeed a charming companion，and young men are not likely to detect insincerity in a girl who tries to captivate them.
The result was astonishing to Uncle John and somewhat humiliating to Beth；for a new queen was presently crowned，and Louise by some magnetic power assembled the court around herself.Only the youngest Horton boy，in whose susceptible heart Beth's image was firmly e n s h r i n e db，refused to change his allegiancec；but in truth the girl enjoyed herself more genuinely in the society of one loyal cavalierthan when so many were clamoring for her favors.The two would walk the deck together for hours without exchanging a single word，or sit together silently listening to the band orwatching the waves，without the need，as Tom expressed it，of "jabberingd every blessed minute"in order to be happy.
Patsy was indignant at the artfulnessa of Louise until she noticed that Beth was quite content；then she laughed softly and watched matters take their course，feeling a little sorry for the boys because she knew Louise was only playing with them.
The trip across the Atlantic was all too short.On the ?fth of April they passed the Azores，running close to the islands of Fayal and San Jorge so that the passengers might admire the zigzag rows of white houses that reached from the shore far up the steep hillsides.On the sixth day they sighted Gibraltarand passed between the Moorish and Spanish lighthouses into the lovely waters of the Mediterranean.The world—famed rock was now disclosed to their eyes，and when the ship anchored opposite it Uncle John assisted his nieces aboard the lighter and took them for a brief excursion ashore.
Of course they rode to the fortress and wandered through its gloomy，impressive galleries，seeing little of the armament because visitors are barred from the real fortifications.The fortress did not seem especially impregnableb and was，taken altogether，a distinct disappointment to them；but the ride through the town in the low basket phaetons was wholly delightful.The quaint，narrow streets and stone arches，the beautiful vistasc of sea and mountain，the swarthyd，dark—eyed Moors whose presence lent to the town an orientalatmosphere，and the queer market—places crowded with Spaniards，Frenchmen，Jews and red—coated English soldiers，altogether made up a panorama that was fascinating in the extreme.
But their stay was short，and after a rush of sightseeing that almost bewildered them they returned to the ship breathless but elated ata having "seen an'done，"as Uncle John declared，their ?rst foreign port.