Teddy saw, and made up his mind to crowd his "hallooing feelings" as deeply down inside of him as possible in future; and just then the train gave a jerk, and began to move again very slowly, and at last New York was reached.
CHAPTER IV.
ON THE VOYAGE.
IT was a very fine morning when our party of four went on board the steamship (which we will call the Funda, though that isn't the real name) bound for the sunny Italian town of Naples. The water sparkled in the sunshine, and the harbor was gay with the many kinds of ships and vessels in port. The dock was crowded with people going away and the friends who had come down to see them off, as is always the case. Teddy and Polly clung to Mamma's hands, while Papa attended to the baggage, and at last they were safely on the steamer's deck, watching the crowd below and the handkerchiefs constantly waved from dock to deck and from deck to dock. Of course there was a great crowd of people on the ship also who were not going away, but were taking a look at the steamer's handsome saloons and state-rooms, and chatting with their departing friends or relatives until the warning cry: "All ashore!" would be heard. As Teddy and Polly presently went with Mamma down the grand staircase from the deck to the dining-saloon, and along the corridor to the two state-rooms reserved for their use, they noticed with great delight the quantities of beautiful flowers arranged on the dining-tables awaiting the passengers to whom they had been sent by friends as a "Bon voyage" and "send-off." (You know, perhaps, without my telling, that "Bon voyage" means "good voyage"—"pleasant journey" in other words.) There were a quantity of letters also waiting to be claimed, and presently Mamma found several for herself, and oh! joy for Teddy! one little letter addressed to him. How surprised he was! and how Polly rejoiced with him!
"Why, how did Mamma get it here all right on this ship, Auntie?" he asked, as Mrs. Darling opened it to read it to him.
"Oh, she knew just when the ship was to sail from here, and sent it along in the good old mail-bag, and so here it is, all full of surprise for her boy, and full of love and kisses." Then she read it to him, sitting—they three—in a quiet corner of the saloon, and Teddy's brown eyes filled with loving tears, and just a little bit of homesick longing for a sight of his dearly loved Mother's face. But the letter made him very happy, and after "Auntie" had finished reading he laid his soft little lips and then his cheek against it for a minute and handed it to her again for safe keeping.
Then they went to the state-rooms—Polly was to share with Mamma, and Teddy and Mr. Darling were to have the room connecting—and Mamma put everything in order for the voyage, and then they went back to the deck to watch the preparations for casting off from the dock. The trunks were rapidly being lowered into the hold, and Teddy screamed with pleasure and excitement when he chanced to see his little trunk borne along on the shoulders of a big sailor who handled it as though it were only a feather. The letters "T. T." stood out proudly enough on the end of the trunk, as though they felt the great importance of belonging to a boy who was being a "European traveler" for the first time in his life.