Rollo on the Atlantic Part 6

"Perhaps this is it, then," said Rollo. And so saying, he took out his wallet, and there, from one of the inner compartments, where his uncle George had placed it away very carefully, he produced a paper. The chambermaid opened it, saying, "Yes, this is all right. Berths sixteen and eighteen. Come with me, and I'll show you where they are."

So the two children, accompanied by Maria, followed the chambermaid, who led the way across the cabin, and there, entering a pa.s.sage way, she opened a door, by means of a beautiful porcelain k.n.o.b which was upon it.

They all went in. They found themselves in a small room, no bigger than a large closet, but they saw at a glance that it was very beautifully finished and furnished. On the front side was a round window like those they had seen in the dining saloon. Under this window was a couch, with a pillow at the head of it. On the back side were two berths, one above the other, with very pretty curtains before them.

"There!" said the chambermaid, "sixteen. That lower berth is yours."

"And whose is the upper berth?" asked Maria.

"That is not taken, I think," said the chambermaid.

"Then I will take it," said Maria. "I will come into this state room, and then I can look after Jennie all the time. But where is Rollo's berth?"

"In the next state room," said the chambermaid.

So saying, she opened a door in the end of the room, and found another state room communicating with the first, where she pointed out Rollo's berth. There was another entrance to Rollo's state room from the pa.s.sage leading into the cabin, on the farther side of it.

"There," said the chambermaid, "now you can settle yourselves here as soon as you please. n.o.body can come in here to trouble you, for you have these little rooms all to yourselves. I'll go and find a porter, and get him to look up your trunk and send it in."

So Rollo went into his state room, and Jane sat down upon the couch in hers, by the side of Maria, looking very much pleased. She opened the door of the cage, and let the kitten out. The kitten walked all about the room, examining every thing with great attention. She jumped up upon the marble washstand, and from that she contrived to get into the round window, where she stood for a few minutes looking out very attentively over the wide sea. Not knowing, however, what to make of so extraordinary a prospect, she presently jumped down again, and, selecting a smooth place at the foot of the couch, she curled herself up into a ring upon the soft covering of it, and went to sleep.

CHAPTER V.

ON DECK.

As soon as Rollo and Jane found themselves thus established in their state rooms, they began to examine the furniture and fixtures around them with great curiosity. They were particularly interested in observing the precautions which had been taken in securing every thing which the state rooms contained, from the danger of being thrown about by the motion of the s.h.i.+p. The wash basin was made of marble, and was firmly set in its place, so as to be absolutely immovable. There was a hole in the bottom of it, with a plug in it, so that, by drawing out the plug, the water could be let off into a pipe which conveyed it away.

There was a small chain attached to this plug, by means of which it could be drawn up when any one wished to let the water off. The pitcher was made broad and flat at the bottom, and very heavy, so that it could not be easily upset; and then there was a socket for it in the lower part of the wash stand, which confined it effectually, and prevented its sliding about when the s.h.i.+p was rolling in a heavy sea.

The tumbler was secured in a more curious manner still. It was placed in a bra.s.s ring, which projected from the wall in a corner over the wash stand, and which was made just large enough to receive it. The soap dish and the brush tray were also placed in sockets cut to receive them in the marble slab, which formed the upper part of the wash stand. The looking gla.s.s was round, and was screwed to the wall by means of a stem and a ball or socket joint, in such a manner that it could be set in any position required, according to the height of the observer, and yet it could not by any possibility fall from its place. There were very few pegs or pins for hanging clothes upon, because, when clothes are thus hung, they are found to swing back and forth whenever the s.h.i.+p is rolling in a heavy sea, in a manner that is very tiresome and disagreeable for sick pa.s.sengers to see. Nor were there many shelves about the state room; for if there had been, the pa.s.sengers would be likely to put various articles upon them when the sea was smooth; and then, when the s.h.i.+p came to pitch and roll in gales of wind, the things would all slide off upon the floor. So instead of shelves there were pockets made of canvas or duck, several together, one above another.

These pockets formed very convenient receptacles for such loose articles as the pa.s.sengers might have in their state rooms, and were, of course, perfectly secure.

There were _two_ shelves, it is true, in Jennie's state room,--one over each of the two wash stands,--but they were protected by a ledge about the edges of them, which would effectually prevent such things as might be placed upon them from sliding off.

By the time that Rollo and Jane had examined these things, a porter came into the state room, bringing their trunk upon his shoulder. Maria told the children that they had better open the trunk and take out all that they would be likely to require while on board, and then stow the trunk itself away under the lower berth, in one of the state rooms.

"Because," said she, "as soon as we get out upon the heavy seas we shall all be sick, and then we shall not wish to move to do the least thing."

"When will that be?" asked Jane.

"I don't know," replied Maria. "Sometimes we have it smooth for a good many days, and then there comes a head wind and makes it rough, and all the pa.s.sengers get sick and very wretched."

"I don't think that I shall be sick," said Rollo.

"You can't tell," said Maria. "n.o.body can tell any thing about it beforehand."

In obedience to Maria's directions, Rollo opened the trunk and took out from it all the clothing, both for day and night, which he thought that he and Jennie would require during the voyage. The night dresses he put under the pillows in the berths. The cloaks, and coats, and shawls which might be required on deck in the day he placed on the couches. Those which belonged to him he put in his state room, and those that belonged to Jennie in hers. While engaged in these operations, he pulled up from one of the lower corners of his trunk a small leather purse or bag full of money.

"What shall I do with this?" he asked, holding it up to Maria.

"What is it?" asked Maria.

"Money," said Rollo.

"How much is there?" said Maria.

"I don't know," replied Rollo. "Uncle George put it in here. He said I ought to have _some_ money to carry with me, in case of accidents. I don't suppose it is much."

"You had better count it, then," said Maria, "so as to ascertain how much it is. You and Jane may count it together."

So Rollo and Jane sat down upon the couch, and Rollo poured out the money into Jennie's lap. It was all gold. Maria said that the coins were sovereigns and half sovereigns. The large ones were sovereigns, and the small ones were half sovereigns. Rollo proposed that he should count the sovereigns, and that Jennie might count the half sovereigns. It proved, when the counting was completed, that there were thirty sovereigns and twenty half sovereigns.

"That makes forty sovereigns in all," said Maria. "That is a great deal of money."

"How much is it?" asked Rollo.

"Why, in American money," said Maria, "it makes about two hundred dollars."

"Two hundred dollars!" repeated Rollo, with astonishment. "What could uncle George think I could want of all this money?"

"It was in case of accidents," said Maria. "For example, suppose this s.h.i.+p should be cast away on the coast of Nova Scotia, and all the pa.s.sengers and baggage be saved, what could you do there without any money."

"Why, I should think that somebody there would take care of us," replied Rollo.

"Yes," said Maria, "I suppose they would; but it is a great deal better to have money of your own. Besides, suppose that when you get to Liverpool, for some reason or other, your father should not be there.

Then, having plenty of money, you could go to a hotel and stay there till your father comes. Or you could ask some one of the pa.s.sengers who is going to London to let you go with him, and you could tell him that you had plenty of money to pay the expenses."

"Yes," said Rollo, "though I don't think there is any doubt that my father will be in Liverpool when we arrive."

"I hope he will be, I am sure," said Maria. "But now, put up the money again in the purse, tie it up securely, and replace it in the trunk.

Then you must keep the trunk locked all the time, and keep the key in your pocket."

Rollo felt quite proud of being intrusted with so much money; so he replaced the bag in the trunk with great care, and locked it safely.

"Now," said Maria, "this is your home while you are on board this s.h.i.+p.

When you choose, you can come here and be alone; and you can lie down and rest here whenever you are tired. At other times you can ramble about the s.h.i.+p, in all proper places."

"How shall I know what the proper places are?" asked Rollo.

"Why, you will see where the other pa.s.sengers go," replied Maria; "and wherever you see them go, you can go yourself. That is as good a rule as you can have."

"Well," said Rollo. "And now, Jane, let us go up on deck and see what we can see."

Jane was pleased with this proposal; so she followed Rollo to the deck.

Maria said that she would come by and by, but for the present she wished to go and see her brother. She said that she had a brother on board who was quite out of health. He was going to Europe in hopes that the voyage would restore him. At present, however, he was very unwell, and was confined to his berth, and she must go and see him.