Two hours after they were standing out to sea, with Jack, Sir John, and the doctor watching the receding shore, the two latter feeling some slight degree of compunction at the last; but Edward was below inspecting the cabins once more, and as soon as he had done this, in spite of the yacht beginning to heel over so that the cabin floor was a good deal higher on one side than the other, he folded his arms, frowned, set his teeth, and began the first steps of a hornpipe, but before he had gone far a lurch sent him head-first toward the port bulkhead. Here he saved himself by thrusting out his hands, turned, and began again. "Very well, uphill if you like," he cried, and he danced from port toward starboard. But this time his legs seemed to have turned wild, and he staggered to right. "Wo-ho! heave-ho! you lubbers!" he cried, and giving a lurch to right, but with desperate energy he saved himself from a fall, and tried to begin again. "Now then," he cried, "from the beginning! Wo-ho! No, I mean yo-ho!" he muttered. "Why, it's like trying to dance on horseback. Here goes again. Tiddly-um-tum-tum! Tiddle-liddle-iddle iddle-liddle iddle-rum-tum!"--"_Bang_." Edward crashed against one of the little state-room doors, cannoned off, and came down sitting on the cabin floor. "Oh, that's it, is it?" cried the man. "Well, if you're going to dance it, I'll wait till you've done." "Anything the matter?" said a voice, and the steward came in. "Nothing particular," said Sir John's man, "unless it's the yacht gone mad." "Oh, this is nothing," said the steward. "A bit lively after being at anchor so long." "Oh, that's it, is it?" said Edward, rising. "You'll soon get used to it. Not much of a sailor I suppose?" "Not a bit of one, but mean to be. I say, who are you?" "Steward, and I suppose you are to be my mate?" "Oh, am I?" said Edward; "very well, anything for a change." The steward turned and left the cabin, for there were steps, and directly after Jack appeared at the door, tried to walk steadily to a seat, but a sudden careening over sent him to port, and he would have fallen heavily if the man had not made an effort to save him, when they went down together, the man undermost. "Quite welcome, sir," said Edward, struggling up and helping Jack to a seat. "Sorry I ain't a bit fatter, sir; only if I was you I'd hold on till I get used to it, in case I'm not always there to be buffer." "Oh!" groaned Jack, whose face was ghastly. "Why, Mr Jack, sir, don't look like that. You fight it down. Feel a bit queer?" "Horrible, Ned. Help me to get to my berth." "Oh, I wouldn't cave in, sir. It'll soon go off." "Will it?" groaned Jack. "I was afraid to come down for fear they should see and laugh at me. Oh, how bad I am! Why did we come?" "I dunno, sir. It was the guv'nor's doing. But you try and keep up." "It is impossible. You don't know how bad I feel." "No, sir, but I know how bad I feel."