hem away "ship-shape" the following morning, Francis helped us
to unfasten and "swing" them in the forecastle. There were hooks in the
beams, so that part of the business was easy enough, but, when bedtime
came, I found that getting into my hammock was not as easy as getting it
ready to get into.

The sail-maker helped Alister out of his difficulties at once, by
showing him how to put his two hands in the middle of his hammock and
wriggle himself into it and roll his blankets round him in seaman-like
fashion. But my neighbours only watched with delight when I first sent
my hammock flying by trying to get in at the side as if it were a bed,
and then sent myself flying out on the other side after getting in. As I
picked myself up I caught sight of an end of thick rope hanging from a
beam close above my hammock, and being a good deal nettled by my own
stupidity and the jeers of the sailors, I sprang at the rope, caught it,
and swinging myself up, I dropped quietly and successfully into my new
resting-place. Once fairly in and rolled in my blanket, I felt as snug
as a chrysalis in his cocoon, and (besides the fact that lying down is a
great comfort to people who are not born with sea-legs) I found the
gentle swaying of my hammock a delightful relief from the bumping,
jumping, and jarring of the ship. I said my prayers, which made me think
of my mother, and cost me some tears in the privacy of darkness; but, as
I wept, there came back the familiar thought that I had "much to be
thankful for," and I added the General Thanksgiving with an "especially"
in the middle of it (as we always used to have when my father read
prayers at home, after anything like Jem and me getting well of scarlet
fever, or a good harvest being all carried).

I got all through my "especially," and what with thinking of the
workman, and dear old Biddy, and Alister, and Mr. Johnson, and the
pilot, it was a very long one; and I think I finished the Thanksgiving
and said the Grace of our LORD after it. But I cannot be quite sure, for
it was such a comfort to be at peace, and the hammock swung and rocked
till it cradled me to sleep.

A light sleep, I suppose, for I dreamed very vividly of being at home
again, and that I had missed getting off to sea after all; and that the
ship had only been a dream. I thought I was rather sorry it was not
real, because I wanted to see the world, but I was very glad to be with
Jem, and I thought he and I went down to the f