“Dis ees my ole woman-people,” said the first speaker.
“Dis ees my ole mudder-people,” said the other.
“Slap-dash,” cried Bell, “did you know this?”
“Not befo’ dis morning, sah; no, no.”
Captain Bell was puzzled and silent. He addressed Ross, the officer who had been left in charge at Kerguelen.
“No, sir,” said this gentleman; “I don’t see how we can send them on shore. We can’t want the whole four. They will pine and die if separated. That would be a dead certainty.”
“Very dead,” said Bell, smiling.
“Besides, though no one suspected their sex, that one called Sheelah is an excellent cook, and both are capital nurses. We were sick sometimes. We had green fever in winter, and certain I am that they nursed us back to life.”
The carpenter was next called for.
“Carpenter,” said Bell, “a small screen berth will be wanted below in some corner, a kind of l-l-ladies’ cabin. Do ye hear?”