“And we must look at the mail,” added Babbie, “and give most of our flowers to the stewardess to put on our table in the dining-room.”
“Aren’t you glad we’ve got some experienced travelers in the party?” laughed Babe, wiping away the tears, and taking Betty’s arm she marched her off after the others. “Now how did they know that was the deck steward? I should be afraid of mixing him up with the captain.”
Three days later Babe smiled loftily at the recollection of such pitiful ignorance. She had explored the ship from stem to stern, had stood on the bridge with the captain, danced with the ship’s doctor, exchanged views on the weather with the senator who had kept the boat waiting, played deck golf and shuffle-board, and made friends with all the children on the ship. All this she had done the first day out. The other two she had spent forlornly in her berth, with the stewardess to wait on her, Babbie and Madeline to amuse her, when she felt equal to being amused, and Betty to keep her company.
“Betty’s getting ready to come up here too,” she announced on the third afternoon, tucking herself into the chair beside Babbie. “Now we can decide where we’re going.”
“Oh, there’s time enough for that,” objected Madeline lazily. “Let’s enjoy the luxurious idleness of shipboard while we can.”
Babbie yawned. “I don’t enjoy it. A day or so is all right, but eight!”
“Specially if you’re inclined to be seasick,” put in Babe with feeling.
Betty appeared just then, and she agreed with the B’s. “It’s all right if you’re an invalid or tired, but as for me, I don’t see why people talk so much about the joys of the trip across. Being cooped up so long is stupid, and makes everybody else act stupid, and it’s just dreadfully dull.”
“And there aren’t any possibilities in it, somehow,” added Babe. “Of course you may meet some interesting people, but you can’t do anything but just talk to them a little and pass on.”
“Like ‘ships that pass in the night,’” quoted Babbie solemnly. “I always associate the people I’ve met on shipboard with too much to eat and no place to put your clothes.”