About noon
The New York-Boston steamers would keep to the inside passage in this gale . Sheila had made all taut and trim inside the cabin . She had plenty of firewood and sufficient provisions to last her for a time . About noon she heard the crunch of footsteps on the sand . It was little John-Ed who first appeared before her eyes . He thrust a letter into Sheila 's hand . `` Dad brought it up from the port this morning , and I got it away from him .