f the passengers who had come on deck, and speedily communicated by
these to their companions, created a great sensation. Willy Croup was so
affected that she began to cry. "Is there any danger?" she said; "and
hadn't we better go on shore? Suppose some other vessel wanted to come
up to this wharf, and we had to move away,--there's nobody to move us!
And suppose we were to get loose in some way, there's nobody to stop
us!"

"You are very practical, Miss Croup," remarked the Reverend Mr. Hodgson,
the youngest clergyman on board. "But I am sure you need not have the
least fear. We are moored firm and fast, and I have no doubt Captain
Burke will soon arrive with the necessary men to take you to Jamaica."

Willy dried her eyes, and then she said, "There's another practical
thing I'm thinking of,--there isn't any breakfast, and the cook's gone!
But I believe we can arrange that. I could cook the breakfast myself if
I had anybody to help me. I'll go speak to Mrs. Cliff."

Mrs. Cliff was decidedly of the opinion that they all ought to have
breakfast, and that she and Willy could at least make coffee, and serve
the passengers with bread and butter and preserved meats, but she
remarked to Mr. Hodgson that perhaps the gentlemen would rather go to
their hotels and get their breakfast.

"No indeed," said Mr. Hodgson, a stout, sun-browned fellow, who looked
more like a hunter than a clergyman. "We have been talking over the
matter, and we are not going to desert you until the new men come. And
as to breakfast, here are Mr. Litchfield and myself ready to serve as
stewards, assistants, cooks, or in any culinary capacity. We both have
camped out and are not green hands. So you must let us help you, and we
shall consider it good fun."

"It will be funny," said Willy, "to see a minister cook! So let's go
down to the kitchen. I know where it is, for I've been in it!"

"I think, Miss Croup," said Mr. Litchfield, a tall young man with black
hair and side whiskers, and a good deal of manner, "that you should say
galley or caboose, now that we are all nautical together."

"Well, I can't cook nautical," said Willy, "and I don't intend to try!
But I guess you can eat the food if it isn't strictly naval."

In a few minutes the volunteer cooks were all at work, and Willy's
familiarity with household affairs, even when exhibited under the
present novel conditions, shone out brightly. She found some cold boiled
potatoes, and soon set Mr. Ho