a few more moments. We were spellbound by the flickering shadows dancing on the rows of twisted pipes and tubing.
Thomas’s eyes were as shiny as the flames themselves. He was breathing hard and grinning from ear to ear. I was breathing hard too but wishing like anything I was on dry land. Still, I pretended for his sake that the whole thing was a great adventure. It was like I had my real brother back again. He slapped my back in his old good-natured way as we headed up the stairwell.
Once back on the upper deck, Frith gave us each a length of rope.
“Now this ain’t to be going and hanging yourself with, boys. If you ever plan on being decent sailors, first off, you got to know your knots. Lives can be saved with rope and knots. I’ll show you some over the next few days, give yousomething to pass the time. We’ll start with the bowline knot. Simple and strong.”
His hands moved so quickly it was hard to follow. This way, that way, criss-crossing. He laughed at our butter-fingered attempts and the looks on our faces when we ended up tangled. So he did it again, much slower this time, working the rope up through the loop of a number six and back in and over.
“Practice makes perfect,” he said, and then he was off.
My brother nudged Ryan. “Shall we go and find Emily and Sara?” They must be the two they’d been trying to impress the night before. Girls again!
“Thought you left your heart back in England,” I teased.
“Shut your mouth,” Thomas snapped.
Ryan perked right up. “What’s this?”
“Thomas is heartsick, don’t you know?” I had to duck and run to get out of his reach.
I stood for a long time on deck, looking up into the rigging. The sails were down and the tangles of ropes made me dizzy. The mizzenmast, Frith had told us, was the third mast from the bow. Often a sailor proved his seaworthiness by climbing to the top of one of the masts.
I knew I’d never be a sailor. I was as afraid of heights as I was of depths.
“Something to behold, isn’t it, Master Hindley.”
Her.
“Yes, miss.”
“Do you know any other words than those?”
“Yes, miss.”
Her laughter made me dizzier than the rigging I’d been looking up into.
I laughed too.
“That sure is a long ways up,” I said.
“Could you climb it?” she asked.
“That’s just what I was wondering.”
“What was your conclusion?”
“I thought not.”
“Well, I’m a person who thinks you can do anything if you want to. Or have to.”
“I don’t think I’d ever want to, miss, and unless I become a sailor I won’t have to.”
“Please call me Maryanna. Miss makes me feel so old. Ma’am is worse! I’m not a married woman yet.”
“Yet?”
“That’s why I’m sailing. My fiancé is waiting for me on the other side. In New York. I can hardly wait!” She jumped up a little when she said New York.
“Me too,” I said. “I mean, I’m going to New York, too! And my brother is going to send for his girl as soon as he can.” I brought up Thomas to make her know how well I understood love and passion.
“And you? No broken heart you left behind?”
I shook my head.
“Well, then. We’ll just have to keep each other good company, won’t we?”
She linked her arm in mine. I nodded like a fool.
I think Miss Rayborn was lonely. I was just a young boy to her. She probably had no idea how she affected me.
At that moment I needed another dose of those smelling salts.
W HAT P ARENTS D O
“I don’t care if the king of England himself were sitting with us. When it’s time for a mother to speak, it has to be done.”
Sure enough, Mum had found out where we’d been. Thomas couldn’t help spilling the beans to Dad. Dad was right proud and boasted to everyone. What was he thinking?
Mum scowled. “Boys, over here, please, so the whole world won’t hear everything.”
We obeyed.
“Mr. Ryan O’Brien, that means you as well! Seeing as you’re their mate this trip and I wouldn’t mind having
Thomas’s eyes were as shiny as the flames themselves. He was breathing hard and grinning from ear to ear. I was breathing hard too but wishing like anything I was on dry land. Still, I pretended for his sake that the whole thing was a great adventure. It was like I had my real brother back again. He slapped my back in his old good-natured way as we headed up the stairwell.
Once back on the upper deck, Frith gave us each a length of rope.
“Now this ain’t to be going and hanging yourself with, boys. If you ever plan on being decent sailors, first off, you got to know your knots. Lives can be saved with rope and knots. I’ll show you some over the next few days, give yousomething to pass the time. We’ll start with the bowline knot. Simple and strong.”
His hands moved so quickly it was hard to follow. This way, that way, criss-crossing. He laughed at our butter-fingered attempts and the looks on our faces when we ended up tangled. So he did it again, much slower this time, working the rope up through the loop of a number six and back in and over.
“Practice makes perfect,” he said, and then he was off.
My brother nudged Ryan. “Shall we go and find Emily and Sara?” They must be the two they’d been trying to impress the night before. Girls again!
“Thought you left your heart back in England,” I teased.
“Shut your mouth,” Thomas snapped.
Ryan perked right up. “What’s this?”
“Thomas is heartsick, don’t you know?” I had to duck and run to get out of his reach.
I stood for a long time on deck, looking up into the rigging. The sails were down and the tangles of ropes made me dizzy. The mizzenmast, Frith had told us, was the third mast from the bow. Often a sailor proved his seaworthiness by climbing to the top of one of the masts.
I knew I’d never be a sailor. I was as afraid of heights as I was of depths.
“Something to behold, isn’t it, Master Hindley.”
Her.
“Yes, miss.”
“Do you know any other words than those?”
“Yes, miss.”
Her laughter made me dizzier than the rigging I’d been looking up into.
I laughed too.
“That sure is a long ways up,” I said.
“Could you climb it?” she asked.
“That’s just what I was wondering.”
“What was your conclusion?”
“I thought not.”
“Well, I’m a person who thinks you can do anything if you want to. Or have to.”
“I don’t think I’d ever want to, miss, and unless I become a sailor I won’t have to.”
“Please call me Maryanna. Miss makes me feel so old. Ma’am is worse! I’m not a married woman yet.”
“Yet?”
“That’s why I’m sailing. My fiancé is waiting for me on the other side. In New York. I can hardly wait!” She jumped up a little when she said New York.
“Me too,” I said. “I mean, I’m going to New York, too! And my brother is going to send for his girl as soon as he can.” I brought up Thomas to make her know how well I understood love and passion.
“And you? No broken heart you left behind?”
I shook my head.
“Well, then. We’ll just have to keep each other good company, won’t we?”
She linked her arm in mine. I nodded like a fool.
I think Miss Rayborn was lonely. I was just a young boy to her. She probably had no idea how she affected me.
At that moment I needed another dose of those smelling salts.
W HAT P ARENTS D O
“I don’t care if the king of England himself were sitting with us. When it’s time for a mother to speak, it has to be done.”
Sure enough, Mum had found out where we’d been. Thomas couldn’t help spilling the beans to Dad. Dad was right proud and boasted to everyone. What was he thinking?
Mum scowled. “Boys, over here, please, so the whole world won’t hear everything.”
We obeyed.
“Mr. Ryan O’Brien, that means you as well! Seeing as you’re their mate this trip and I wouldn’t mind having
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