“At last, Ike!” I cried. “Hurrah! Why, what’s the matter?”
“What’s the matter?” said Ike in tones of disgust; “why, everything’s the matter. Here, let’s have a look at you, boy. Yes,” he continued, turning me round, and as if talking to himself, “it is a boy. Any one to hear him would have thought it was a sugar-stick.”
Chapter Fourteen.
A Night Journey.
It seemed to me as if starting-time would never come, and I fidgeted in and out from the kitchen to the stable to see if Ike had come back, while Mrs Dodley kept on shaking her at me in a pitying way.
“Hadn’t you better give it, up, my dear?” she said dolefully. “Out all night! It’ll be a trying time.”
“What nonsense!” I said. “Why, sailors have to keep watch of a night regularly.”
“When the stormy wynds do blow,” said Mrs Dodley with something between a sniff and a sob. “Does Mrs Beeton know you are going?”