While he was thinking of this, he heard steps behind him as of some one coming up stairs, and then a voice, saying,—
"Halloo, Rollo! Are you up here?"
Rollo turned round and saw Hilbert. He was clinging to the side of the doorway. Rollo himself was upon one of the settees.
Just then one of the outer doors opened, and a man came in. He was an officer of the ship. A terrible gust of wind came in with him. The officer closed the door again immediately, and seeing the boys, he said to them,—
"Well, boys, you are pretty good sailors, to be about the ship such weather as this."
"I'm going up on the promenade deck," said Hilbert.
"No," said the officer, "you had better do no such thing. You will get pitched into the lee scuppers before you know where you are."
"Is there any place where we can look out and see the sea?" said Rollo.
"Yes," replied the officer; "go aft, there, along that passage way, and you will find a door on the lee quarter where you can look out."
So saying, the officer went away down into the cabin.