‘I should think you ought to thank me,’ Wopole retorted angrily. ‘It’s bad enough to have spirits on board a temperance ship without having to talk to them.’
‘But I’m not a spirit,’ said Ernalie.
‘Then who are you?’
‘I’m——’ But she thought it best not to tell him more.
‘Oh, you are, are you?’ he replied. ‘Thanks for the information. I’m sure it wasn’t necessary for you to tell me so much, and I don’t want to know any more about you. Only, look here, I don’t know whether you want to be roasted?’
‘Of course not,’ answered the Princess.
‘Well, then, if a storm comes up it will blow us right over the world’s end into the sun; so look out. If the anchor holds, we are safe.’
‘What does the anchor hold?’ asked Ernalie.
‘The ground, of course. If it doesn’t, we shall have to hoist the sails and try to beat against the wind.’
‘I suppose you beat against the wind to make it run away?’ said Ernalie.