And away went the steamer, and night swallowed her up.
After the men on deck had wrung their clothes and put them on again, Antonio went quietly below to see how the children were getting on.
Happy childhood, that knows nought of sorrow and danger.
“Oh, we’ve had such fun,” cried Maud and Phœbe; “when the ship kicked, we were all thrown in a heap on the floor, but we were not hurt; only, our legs and arms were all so mixed up that we couldn’t tell whose was who’s. And then, Captain Antonio, when we tried to get up we all tumbled down again, so we just lay still for a long, long time. Wasn’t it funny?”
Teenie had said nothing, she was looking very demure.
“Well, dearie, what have you to say?”
The little fisher lass looked up in his face with a half-serious smile.
“Is it all right now?” she said. “Barclay Stuart there, and Miss Maud, and Phœbe are only land folk; but I know—oh, I know.”
“Well, dearie, what do you know?”
“We were taken aback.”