As it was, they liked the place well enough and thought the big dining room wonderfully fine, brilliant as it was with lights while soft music played.
Going back to their own floor, Bunny, walking along the corridor, saw near the room where he was to sleep with his father a little red box with a glass door. Hanging by a short chain to the box was a little hammer.
“Oh, what’s that?” asked Bunny, pointing to it. “Is the little hammer there so they can see who can break the glass first? Let me try!” he begged, reaching up toward the red box. “I’ll break it!”
“No, indeed! Don’t touch that!” cried Bunny’s father, holding him back. “That’s a fire alarm. There is a hook to pull down, which makes a bell ring and gives the alarm. The glass is over the hook so it can’t be so easily pulled. But in case of fire the glass is to be broken with the little hammer and the hook pulled down. We don’t want any fire alarms now, Bunny.”
“Well, but if there is a fire, can I break the glass and send in the alarm?” the little boy wanted to know.
“I guess so. Yes, if you see the fire first,” laughed his father.
“We don’t want any fires, though,” said Mrs. Brown. “We’ll hope, Bunny, that you’ll not have a chance to send in the alarm.”
Though feeling a little strange at first in their hotel beds, Bunny and Sue at last fell asleep and did not awaken until their father and mother called them in the morning. After breakfast they took another taxicab to the wharf where the Beacon was tied up.
“Oh, she’s a nice ship!” exclaimed Bunny, getting his first glimpse of the steamer that was to be their home for several weeks.
“It’s bigger than our play boat,” said Sue.