The elder one laughed and said to Fred:
"Mr. Fearnot, we two seem to be on quite good terms with the old man of the sea."
"Yes," returned Fred. "When I made up my mind to go South by water I began to make preparations to remain on good terms with Father Neptune.
"Why, how in the world did you manage to do that?"
"Why, don't you know a remedy for seasickness, or a pallative, at least?"
"Why, no, indeed. What is it? I have never heard of any except lemons."
"Well, lemons are very good, and will be effective if you tackle them twenty-four hours or more before beginning the voyage. I have a bottle of acid phosphate in my room, and a teaspoonful in half a glass of water soon equips one in such a manner that he can resist the effects of the motion of the ship."
"Oh, my! will you give me a drink of it? I'm not at all seasick, but if the water gets any rougher I will be."
"Certainly," and Fred went to his room and soon returned with a glass with about two teaspoonfuls of acid phosphate in it. He went to the water cooler, filled the glass with cold water and presented it to the young lady.
"Drink about half of it," said he, "and in twenty or thirty minutes drink the other half."