even without such help, by an extreme unselfish sensitiveness. She
found comfort in the thought that her husband must be debating the
wisdom of this cruise, which, only a few hours ago, had seemed so
wise, so noble, so right in every way.
Captain Margaret broke the silence which had followed her last words.
“Captain Cammock,” he said, “we’re making a new arrangement in the
cabins. Mr. and Mrs. Stukeley will have my double cabin to starboard
here. I shall have the spare bunk in Mr. Perrin’s cabin. I shall want
you to beat up to Falmouth, captain.”
“You’ll run some risk of gaol, Charles,” said the petulant friend on
the locker-tops. “You’ll probably be wanted by this time to-morrow all
over the west of England.”
“You were always a pessimist,” said Margaret.
“Is the lady to go ashore, then?” said Cammock, looking towards
Olivia.
“I hope not,” said Margaret. “But if she stays she must have a maid.
We shall put her--let me see.”
“Where will you put her?” asked Perrin. “There’s no room. You surely
won’t put her in the ’tween-decks?”
“No,” replied his friend. “We must make up a room in the sail-room.
Captain Cammock must shift his sails into the ’tween-decks.”
“She’ll have the biggest room in the ship,” said Cammock. “She’ll be
able to give a ball to the hands.”
“Charles,” said Olivia, “I don’t think I can possibly come with you.
I’m giving you too much trouble.”
She was hurt, now, that it was Charles, not her husband, who had
thought of her comfort, and shown that he considered her position.
“Nonsense,” said Margaret. “You’re being very nice. You just make all
the difference. Now, you’re both tired out. Your cabin’s quite ready
for you. Suppose we all go on deck to take the air for a while before
we say good-night.”
As they filed on deck, Cammock drew Stukeley aside.
“See here,” he said. “You’re giving way to it. You’ll be as sick as a
dog if you give way to it. What you want to do is to get some nice fat
pork, or a bit of greasy bacon, now. Or lard. The steward ’d lend you
a ball of lard. Or get one of the hands to puff tobacker at yer. Or
take a suck at a little melted butter, or some of that salad oil as
they call it. It’ll fetch you up all standing.”
He turned to his owner as Olivia left the poop.
“And you wish me to beat for Falmouth, sir?”
“If you please,” answered Captain Margaret.
“Very good, sir. I’ll go about at once. I can tack with the watch. Mr.
Cottrill,” he shouted, “Ready oh.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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