Captain Dawson approached the lady, raised his hat, and said,—
"Madam, please walk into my cabin and make yourself at home. Your friends will join you immediately as they are brought on board."
"This is Jack Crane," said Captain Dawson. Page 159.
The lady, for she was a real lady, thanked Captain Dawson for his politeness, and accepted his invitation. He accompanied her to the door of his cabin, again raised his hat to her, and returned to his place on deck near the mainmast.
A minute or so after he came back the other woman was safely hoisted on deck. Captain Dawson repeated in almost the same words the invitation to go to his cabin. The young woman thanked him, and said,—
"If you please, sir, I'll stay here until my sister comes. She will be next, I believe, so your officer said, and we two will go together."
The captain bowed, saying, "Just as you please; the cabin is at your service at any moment, and the lady who first came on board is now there."
Very speedily the little girl reached the Washington's deck, and immediately seized her sister by the hand.
"What a nice way of getting on board that is!" said the younger one; "seemed to me as though I was a bird and flying through the air; but I wouldn't like to go far that way."