"O, no," said Jennie. "She'll only be rolled about the rooms herself."
"Why, she could hold on with her claws, I should think," said Rollo.
"No," said Jennie, "keep her in the cage, and put the cage in some safe place where it can't get away."
So Rollo put the kitten into the cage, and then put the cage itself in a narrow space between the foot of the couch and the end of the state room, where he wedged it in safely with a carpet bag. Having done this, he was just about returning to his place, when he was dreadfully alarmed at the sound of a terrible concussion upon the side of the ship, succeeded by a noise as of something breaking open in his state room, and a rush of water which seemed to come pouring in there like a torrent, and falling on the floor. Rollo's first thought was that the ship had sprung a leak, and that she was filling with water, and would sink immediately. Jennie, too, was exceedingly alarmed; while Maria, who had been sound asleep all this time, started up suddenly in great terror, calling out,—
"Mercy on me! what's that?"
"I'm sure I don't know," said Rollo, "unless the ship is sinking."
Maria put out her hand and rung the bell violently. In the mean time, the noise that had so alarmed the children ceased, and nothing was heard in Rollo's room but a sort of washing sound, as of water dashed to and fro on the floor. Of course, the excessive fears which the children had felt at first were in a great measure allayed.
In a moment the chambermaid came in with a light in her hand, and asked what was the matter.
"I don't know," said Maria. "Something or other has happened in Rollo's state room. Please look in and see."
The chambermaid went in, and exclaimed, as she entered,—