He was peremptorily checked before he could
cross the threshold.
"Don't stir a step! Richard has been down in the cabin! Richard suspects
us!"
"Nonsense! Come out."
"Nothing will induce me, unless you can find some other place than the
cabin."
Some other place? How easy to find it on land! How apparently impossible
at sea! There was the forecastle (full of men) at one end of the vessel.
There was the sail room (full of sails) at the other. There was the
ladies' cabin (used as the ladies' dressing-room; inaccessible, in that
capacity, to every male human being on board). Was there any disposable
inclosed space to be found amidships? On one side there were the
sleeping berths of the sailing-master and his mate (impossible to
borrow _them_). On the other side was the steward's store-room. Launce
considered for a moment. The steward's store-room was just the thing!
"Where are you going?" asked Natalie, as her lover made straight for a
closed door at the lower extremity of the main cabin.
"To speak to the steward, darling.
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