The surgeon now went away, leaving Rollo and Jane on the settee together.
"I wish," said Rollo, "that I had asked him what he meant by heaving the log."
"No," said Jane, "you must not ask any questions."
"Yes," replied Rollo, "I may ask him questions. He said that I might ask any questions that I pleased of him."
"Well," said Jane, "then you must ask him the nest time you see him."
"I will," said Rollo. "And now let us go down into our state room and find Maria, and get ready to go to dinner."
"Well," said Jane, "only let me go first alone. I want to see if I cannot find my way to the state room alone."
Rollo acceded to this proposal, and he accordingly remained on the settee himself while Jane went down. Jane looked up toward him when she turned to go down the steep flight of stairs which led from the promenade deck, with a smile upon her countenance, which seemed to say, "You see I am right so far," and then, descending the steps,—holding on carefully all the time by the green rope,—she soon disappeared from view. Rollo waited a proper time, and then followed Jane. He found her safe upon the couch in her state room, with Maria seated by her side.
In a very few minutes after Rollo came into the state room eight bells struck, and so they all went out to dinner. At first, Jennie said that she did not wish to go. She did not wish for any dinner. In fact, Rollo perceived, in looking at her, that she was beginning to be a little pale. Maria told her, however, that she had better go and take some dinner.
"The rule at sea," said Maria, "always is, to go to the table if you possibly can."