They provided this magnificent treat for me that day. It fell out thus: I overhung the rail in the head, looking down at the boiling dazzle there, watching with indescribable delight and wonder the beautiful sight of the cutwater of the ship, metalled high, sliding through the brine, bowing till the ivory-white lady that was her figure-head was depressed almost to the sip of the cloud of foam which the hurl of the bows sent roaring and flashing far ahead, to rush back in a singing, seething sheet a moment after when the ship's head lifted upon the next swelling heave, bright blue till it was charged and out-turned into a noise and splendour of thunder and snow. Mrs. Burke and the doctor looked down with me. My old nurse would sometimes turn an eye full of satisfaction upon my face, which I felt was glowing with the spirit this rushing ocean picture had kindled. I looked yearningly towards the bowsprit end and exclaimed: 'Oh, now, if I were a man, to be able to get out there and watch the ship coming at me!' 'Here comes Captain Burke,' said Mr. Owen. He had arrived on deck just then, and, seeing us in the bows of the ship, was advancing. 'Are you going to paint a picture of the "Lady Emma," Miss Otway?' said he, coming to my side and looking down at the thick and giddy foam, roaring and spitting sometimes within arm's reach, and throbbing aft into a wake whose tail went out of sight in the windy blue haze. 'No.' 'You are studying every effect!' 'It is worth leaving home to see this!' said I. 'How fast are we sailing?' 'Thirteen knots an hour.' 'Miss Marie wishes she was a man, Edward,' said Mrs. Burke. 'All gallant-hearted girls wish that,' said he. 'But why?' 'That she might be able to climb out on to the bowsprit and watch the "Lady Emma" rushing at her.' 'Is that so, miss?' cried the captain, whipping round upon me with his Irish briskness and arch merry eyes. I smiled. 'It can be managed if you please.' I looked at the long bowsprit forking out into jib-booms far ahead, with white jibs curving upon it motionless as ice, save when now and again one or another breathed to the plunge of the ship. 'There must be no risks!' cried Mrs. Burke. 'Chaw!' exclaimed her husband. 'Will you trust yourself in my hands, Miss Otway?' 'I will indeed.' He called to the boatswain of the ship, a big seaman with strong red whiskers and a whistle round his neck: the finest specimen of an English seaman I ever saw _out_ of a man-of-war; this man who acted as second mate, though uncertificated, I had once or twice conversed with when he was on the quarter-deck, and found him very civil and communicative, and a relief to the eye after leering Mr. Green.