Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. TAKEN ABACK. "What is the matter?" exclaimed the passenger, clutching hold of the steward's leg under the idea that it was the cuddy table, and contriving to get into a sitting position on the cabin floor, as the Susan Jane lurched to and fro, swishing the water backwards and forwards, along with the plates and dishes and broken crockery, amongst them, mixed up with bits of meat and vegetables and bread in the most inharmonious sort of medley,—"What's the matter, Cap'en?" "Struck by a squall," said the skipper, getting on his feet at last, and holding on tightly to a brass rail outside the door of one of the berths, that he might not get floored again. " But, look at your patient, the boy! Is he mad, or what?" "Golly!" ejaculated the steward, also finding his legs again, Mr. Rawlings having released them as soon as he sat up. " Me tink him goin' hab fit!" The captain's professional instincts roused him even more rapidly than did a loaf of soppy bread which at that moment was dashed in his face by the counter swish of the water against the side of the cabin, and he sprang up ready for action as cool and collected as possible, considering the circumstances. Before Mr. Rawlings or the skipper—who both rushed forward at once to where the boy was standing— could reach him, however, or the negro steward, who was directly in his way, but was too dumfounclered to CAUGHT BY A SQUALL. 25 prevent him, he made one leap over the table and rushed out of the cabin, with the same set look of terror, or some unearthly expression which they could not absolutely define, on his face, the blood streaming down from under the bandage across his forehead, making his appearance ghastly and uncanny, as the Scotch say, in the extreme. He resembled more a galvanized corps...