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A clear winter sunlight touching the green, swirling water with strands of yellow gold; a wind sweeping the ship's decks, blowing boisterously down companion-ways and along the corridors; a few shimmering snowflakes from an almost cloudless sky; everywhere the vastness of ocean. And the ship buffeting its way towards the New World. Mid-ocean. The City of New York.

"I could see that there was a big fight going on; and look here!" I nodded in the direction of one of the companion-ways, from which the doctor suddenly appeared with his glasses on, and an eager, expectant look in his eyes as he bustled up to us. "I'm all ready," he said. "Boats in sight yet?" I shuddered, and I noticed that Smith looked white. "Well, why don't you answer?

Very shortly after came the order "All hands on the cat falls," at which every man Jack came running forward. The blue-clothed figures poured up the companion-ways like rats out of a sinking ship, for "all hands on the cat falls" means up anchor, and up anchor meant new experiences, perhaps a brush with a Spanish man-of-war or the capture of a Spanish prize.

If violence were offered to him, of course he could not make any defence, but he was resolved that if an attack should be made upon him, there was one thing he would try to do. He had carefully noted the location of the companion-ways, and he had taken off only such clothes as would interfere with swimming. If he were attacked, he would make a bolt for the upper deck, and then overboard.

Afterwards, on the way to her stateroom, she overtook him near one of the companion-ways, and laid her hand upon his arm. "Mr. Littleson," she said, "would you do me a favour?" "Why, I should say so," he answered. "Nothing I'd like better." "Don't tell anybody anything about me," she begged, "I mean about my uncle, or anything of that sort at all.

For a space of perhaps two seconds after the passage of the meteor through the ship's hull the silence of the night continued, and then, as though in response to a signal, there arose such a dreadful outcry as I hope never to hear again; while the cabin doors were dashed open, and out from the cabins and the companion-ways streamed crowds of distracted men, women, and children, clad in their night gear, just as they had leapt from their berths, the men shouting to know what had happened, while the poor women and children rushed frantically hither and thither, jostling each other, wringing their hands, some weeping, some screaming hysterically, and some calling to children who had become separated from them in the seething crowd.

She could not be persuaded to go into a cabin after she had recovered from the shock and the fright of the accident, but, comforted and clothed with new and dry garments, she took refuge under one of the companion-ways, and there, sitting huddled up, with her arms about her knees, she crooned and moaned to herself, "I was near being in a wetter and a warmer place; I was near being in a wetter and a warmer place!" by the half hour together.

"What should I say?" she asked, looking into his face as well as the dim light would permit. "What should I say instead?" "Why, `on deck, of course," he replied. "We've got no stairs on board ship. They're either `companion-ways' or `ladders, up one of which we'll go now, if you like!"