"
"Were you wet?"
"Drenched, my dear Maggie; but when I got to my cabin I found that there
was no hope of rest for some hours. The wave had flooded the cabins,
broken in doors, and washed everything and everybody about. So we all
had to set to work to bale out water, and mop up our bed-rooms; and as
the wave had also put out what lights there were, we had to work in the
dark, and very uncomfortable work it was! What the women and children
did, and the poor people who were sea-sick, I hardly know. Of course we
who could keep our feet did the work."
"Weren't you ever sea-sick?"
"Never, I am thankful to say."
"Not when it's very, very rough?"
"Not in a gale. I have once or twice on that voyage been the captain's
only companion at dinner, tied to the mast to keep myself steady, and
with the sherry in one pocket and my wine-glass in another to keep
_them_ steady, and quite ashamed of my appetite, for if the sea doesn't
make you feel very ill it makes you feel very well."
"I had no idea there were such very big waves really," said Maggie,
thoughtfully.
"I see that they are quite big enough to shelter the captain's
character, Peregrine," said Mamma, smiling, "and I am much obliged to
you for correcting my ignorance.
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