CHAPTER III.

LIFE ON A STEAMER.

"Come, Alice," said Mrs. Winter, "we will go down to our state-room and unpack our trunks while we are in smooth water, for to-morrow morning it may be so rough we cannot get out of our berths at all."

Alice went with her mamma and helped put everything in order, but there were so few hooks and no bureau she did not know at first where to put anything.

Mrs. Winter decided to sleep in the lower berth and have Alice on the sofa, which gave them the top berth for a bureau, and they found themselves very comfortable.

Alice wanted to put some little things around to look pretty, but her mamma said, "No, dear, for if the ship rolls they will be all over the floor."

Alice laughed and said, "I guess the 'Etruria' never rolls enough for that; she is too big."

"Wait and see," quietly said her mamma.

Mrs. Winter said, "Now we will put on our warm wraps and go on deck."

Mr. Winter had found their chairs and put them in a nice place. Just as they were being settled in them, the gong was sounded again. "That is for lunch this time," said Mr. Winter, "and I for one am glad, for I am very hungry."

On going to the saloon they were delighted to find that their seats were at the captain's table, and any one who has crossed the ocean with Captain Hains knows what a treat they had before them, if it should be a nice passage and he could be in his seat at the head of the table.

In the afternoon the ship rolled, and when dinner was announced Mrs. Winter thought she would take hers on deck. She was not sick, but was afraid if she left the air she might be. Mr. Winter and Alice went to the table, and Alice was surprised to see the vacant seats around the room. The racks were on the table, so the dishes were held in place, but Alice found it rather uncomfortable keeping her chair.

In the morning Mrs. Winter was too ill to leave her berth, but Alice never felt better in her life. The captain was so pleased to have her at the table to breakfast he put her in her mamma's seat next to him, and when she told him it was her birthday he said, "You shall have a nice cake for your dinner."

After breakfast Alice went up on deck with Mr. Winter, who put her in a comfortable place and covered her up nice and warm. He went down to see his wife.

The sea was a deep, bright blue, with lovely white caps, and when the sun shone on them Alice could see a rainbow on every wave.

Alice became tired of sitting in her chair, and went to the rail to look over the side and see how pretty the water looked as the ship cut through it. Soon the young girl whom she had seen the day before came up to her and said, "Have you ever crossed before?"

Alice said, "No, have you?"

"Oh, yes, several times; and I do enjoy every minute, for I am never sick."

Alice asked her name, and she answered, "Nellie Ford. What is yours and where are you going?"

Alice told her name and that she was going to Nuremberg.

Nellie said, "I have never been there. We are going to Brussels, and it is such a beautiful city."

They talked on until the gong sounded, and agreed to meet again after lunch.

At dinner that night Alice found the cake which the captain had promised her on the table. After thanking him, she asked if she might send a piece of it to her new friend.

"Of course, my dear," said the captain. "It is yours to do with just as you please."

The second day was very much like the first, only Mrs. Winter was able to be on deck, and Nellie Ford introduced her to Mr. and Mrs. Ford, and they soon settled to a little party of six, as passengers on a steamer are very apt to do.

The two girls were together all the time, and joined in a game of ring toss with some more of the young people.

The days passed away, one very much like another--some pleasant, some stormy and rough, some foggy, with the whistles being blown every two minutes. Alice felt that she should be glad when she saw land again.

One night they met a steamer, and it did look very pretty all lighted up. The "Etruria" set off Roman candles, which were answered by the steamer, and Alice thought that was the most interesting evening of all, even more so than the night of the concert.

The "Etruria" made a very quick trip, and reached Queenstown Friday afternoon. Alice was writing letters in the saloon to send home, when suddenly the steamer stopped.

"Oh, dear, what is the matter?" she cried, jumping to her feet. A gentleman sitting near her said, "It is a fog, and as we are very near Fastnet Rock they do not dare to go on."

Soon a gun was heard in answer to the steamer's whistle, and the gentleman said, "We must be right there now."

Alice went up on deck rather frightened, but as suddenly as the fog had settled upon them it lifted, and directly ahead of them was the straight rock rising out of the water like a sentinel.

The "Etruria" ran up her signal flags and then started on, and in three hours was off Queenstown Harbor, where the tug was waiting for their mails and the few passengers who wished to be landed.