“It is nice to know that I have you in my power,” Jane laughed.
However, Jane did not take advantage of her new found power but made an impressive embarkation on the “Boojum.” Her sureness and quickness won a gleam of approbation from the keen gray eyes of the bronzed young sailor, who had offered her a hand, which she smilingly refused.
“Pretty good for a land-lubber, Jane,” applauded Mr. Wing. “Now, Ellen, see if you can do as well.”
“Ellen, you are so light, you couldn’t push us away to save your soul,” said Jack rather proudly.
“And I just bounce up from long practice,” giggled Mabel.
With all of them safe on deck, Mr. Wing gave a few orders to the two men, telling the short Dutchman to serve lunch as soon as it was ready and the young sailor to haul the tender up in the davits. “And Jack, you better help Breck. Sorry to put you to work so soon.”
Mr. Wing led the way down the companion into the saloon. “I hope Mabel can make you fairly comfortable, girls. You will feel a bit cramped at first, but most people soon accustom themselves to it. She is very compact and it really is just a matter of adjusting yourself to a smaller scale. Now I must go above and see that we get under way. Charlie, Mabel tells me you have been cruising before and I’m going to depend a lot on you. As soon as you stow your duds, come up and help Breck and me with the sails.”
“I’m a peach of a crew, I’ll admit,” and Charlie chanted:
“The crew was complete; it included a Boots—