Jane thought, as she sipped her coffee, that perhaps gray eyes were better suited for twinkling than any other eyes.
CHAPTER VI
BETTY WYNDHAM, ACTRESS
With the incoming tide, the “Boojum” had righted herself and was soon under way. The tremendous rain had ceased as abruptly as it had begun and the sun shone valiantly as if to make up to the little party for the trick the tide, vassal of the moon, had played on them the past night. The winds had churned the water into choppy little waves that foamed against the “Boojum’s” eager bow.
“I just adore this jerky motion,” Jane confided to Frances. “But I wonder how long I’ll adore it. It reminds me of the time I went on a hunt on a Standard-bred trotter. I got there in time to see the dogs nab the poor fox, but I’m here to say I took an oath that that was the last time I would ride anything but a saddle horse.”
“I like this too,” agreed Frances. “It’s the most exciting sail we have had yet. We are certainly scooting along. Whee! look at the spray come flying up over the bowsprit. Let’s go and get on the grating. I don’t believe either one of us is going to be sick, ’specially if we stay up on deck.”
These two were nearly always to be found lying flat on the grating in the bow when they were sailing. As a concession to Mr. Wing, they had agreed to hold on to each other with one hand and on to the grating with the other.
“Are you two young tars feeling fit still!” Mr. Wing asked them. “Ellen and Jack are below looking pretty miserable and, of course, no power on earth will drag them up in the air. Ellen said that, if she saw the waves, she knew it would be all over with her.”
“Yes, we saw them, when we went below to get extra sweaters. I believe Jack would like to come up, but he doesn’t want to leave Ellen. Ellen would be much better off by herself, but she doesn’t like to hurt Jack’s feelings. There is nothing to do with people like that so we might as well forget them. It won’t be so long before we fetch Provincetown and then they will be all right.” And Jane dismissed the tragedy of the seasick lovers with a grin.