Close to this and serving as a contrast, the Captain placed the green laver he had made Nell pick up at the last moment when they were leaving Seaview and running to catch the steamer.
“This chap, styled the ‘ulva latissima’ by the scientific gentlemen who manufacture such titles, is a capital thermometer,” said the Captain on putting in the laver. “You’ll find he’ll always rise to the surface when the weather is bright and sunny; while he sinks back to the bottom, as I’ve put him now, on its being damp and overcast.”
In the more immediate foreground, a number of little starfish squatted about on the miniature strand that shelved down from the rocks, arranged with much care to the general spectacular effect by Nellie, who was most painstaking in the matter.
To be introduced into this very select marine retreat, the anemones had to go through similar ablutions to the sand and the shells, as well as other things, all of them being at the outset cleansed with the greatest care. When, however, this was done and the actinea put into their future home, the aquarium blossomed out into a garden of live flowers, whose tentacles of various colours resembled so many chrysanthemums, dahlias, and daisies, of the most gorgeous hues ever seen on Nature’s palette!
Of course, the actinea did not make themselves at home in their new lodgings and disclose their beauties all at once; but, in a few days, none of them having been hurt by Bob’s knife, they seemed to have become acclimatised, putting out the petals of their flower-like bodies as freely as when in their native pools at Seaview. So, too, did a beautiful rose and white dianthus, which Dick had picked up adhering to an ugly old oyster-shell; and, the even rarer anthea, whose long hanging filaments were never altogether withdrawn into its body when disturbed, as was the case with the other sea-anemones, and which were thus a constant source of alarm to Bob’s little crabs; for, it was ever listlessly waving perilously near these nervous creatures, making them hurry out of their way in such frantic haste as their lateral conformation permitted.
It was a long job arranging the aquarium, engrossing the attention of all engaged and taking up the entire morning; aye, and all midday, too!
“Good gracious me!” exclaimed Mrs Gilmour, coming into the room when they had just completed the task. “What a long time you’ve been at it, to be sure! I believe I could have made an aquarium by now, let alone fit it up.”
“Ah, ma’am, ‘more haste, worse speed,’” retorted the old sailor. “‘Rome wasn’t built in a day,’ you know.”
“I thought you had enough of the Romans yesterday,” said Mrs Gilmour, giving him this little cut in return for his brace of proverbs. “But, come, Sarah, you must see about getting luncheon now. I want it ready as soon as possible. You’ll stop, Captain Dresser, I suppose?”
“Oh yes, ma’am, if you’ll allow me,” he replied with a chuckle. “I know when I’m well off. You recollect, ma’am, you said just now the cook was my friend.”