"A steam yacht is not as bad off as a sailing vessel," said Dick. "If necessary, we can run away from a heavy storm. In a high wind it's a sailing ship that catches it."
By nightfall they had passed out of Delaware Bay into the Atlantic Ocean, and then the course was changed to almost due south. As soon as they got out on the long swells the Rainbow commenced to toss and pitch considerably.
"Now you can sing a life on the ocean wave!" cried Dick to Songbird.
"How does this suit you?"
"Elegant!" was the reply, and then the would-be poet began to warble:
"I love the rolling ocean
With all its strange commotion
And all the washing wavelets that hit us on the side;
I love to hear the dashing
Of the waves and see the splashing
Of the foam that chums around us as on we glide!"
"Gee Christopher!" cried Sam. "Say, Songbird, that rhyme is enough to make one dizzy!"
"I dink dot boetry vos make me tizzy already," came from Hans, as he sat down on a nearby chair, his face growing suddenly pale.
"Hullo, Hans is sick!" cried Tom. "Hans, I thought you had better sea legs than that."
"I vosn't sick at all, Dom, only vell, der ship looks like be vos going to dake a summersaults already kvick!"
"You're seasick," said Sam. "Better go to your stateroom and lie down."