The children never thought they could play "ship" without a kitten, a
gray and white one which they put into a cage just as Jennie Holiday
did, when she and Rollo travelled by themselves from New York to
Liverpool. When the kitten had been brought, they had got as far as Long
Island Sound, and they said the kitten was sent by a ship of war which
had to be "spoken."

"This is a funny way to play," said Miriam. "Here we are at Halifax, and
nobody has heaved the log yet."

"No," said Octavia; "so we can't tell how many knots an hour we
are going."

"_I'm_ going a great many knocks," cried Katie, whose exertions in
rocking from side to side had thrown her overboard once.

"We never'll get to Liverpool in this world," said Emily, "unless Miss
Percival comes and steers the ship."

It happened at that very moment that Miss Percival came into the yard
with aunt Maria.

"If you will excuse me, Mrs. Clifford," said she, laughing, "I will take
command of this ship."

"No apologies are necessary," replied Mrs. Clifford. "I should be very
glad to watch your proceedings. Is it possible, Miss Percival, that you
are capable of guiding a vessel across the Atlantic?"

"I have often tried it," said Miss Percival, going on board; "but we
sometimes have a shipwreck."

"Emily," said she, "you may heave the log." So Emily rose, and taking a
large spool of crochet-cotton which Miss Percival gave her, held it
above her head, turning it slowly, till a tatting shuttle, which was
fastened at the end of the thread, fell to the ground. This was supposed
to be the "log;" and Octavia, with one or two other girls, pretended to
tug with much force in order to draw it in, for the ship was going so
fast that the friction against the cord was very great. Knots had been
made in the cotton, over which Emily ran her quick fingers.

"Ten knots an hour," said she.

"Very good speed," returned the captain. "I do not think we shall be able
to take an observation to-day, as it is rather cloudy."

Sailors "take observations" at noon, if the sun is out, by means of a
sextant, with which they measure the distance from the sun to the
southern horizon. In this way the captain can tell the exact latitude of
the ship; but Miss Percival made believe there was a storm coming up; so
it was not possible to take an observation.

"It is two bells," said she: "the wind is out; there will be a fearful
storm. I would advise the passengers to turn into their bert