d Beatrice.

"Yes," said Mrs Langton, "now Beatrice bring that darning downstairs, we
must finish packing tomorrow, I will mend that skirt for you," and so
saying Mrs Langton left the room.

CHAPTER 5

At last the eventful day came and found Beatrice up at six o'clock,
putting the last articles in her hand bag. By eight o'clock she was at
the station taking the last farewells.

The little ones crowded round her, giving her chocolate and various
sweets to eat on the way. Mrs Langton sobbed copiously, and Mr Langton
as he kissed his daughter pressed a sovereign into her hand. But at last
the guard waved his flag, the porters slammed the doors, and Beatrice
found herself spinning away through fields of every shade, fast leaving
Senbury Glen behind and approaching Newhaven Harbour. Beatrice gave a
little sigh half of joy and half of fear, and then subsided into her
novel and refreshments till the train stopped and she found herself in
the aforesaid harbour. There were a great many passengers going by the
Dieppe boat, and Beatrice had some difficulty to declare her luggage and
smuggle the packet of coffee her thoughtful mother had put in the sponge
bag. But at last she got on the boat and once she was seated in her deck
chair gazing on the rough sea, she could not help shedding a few tears
as she thought of the little brown cottage standing alone on the
outskirts of Senbury Glen. But she soon cheered up and asked the
stewardess to show her to her cabin. The woman obeyed and walked along
the deck till she came to a battered looking door, which she opened
saying--"Here is your cabin miss, your berth is number 10 and you will
find some water to wash in."

Beatrice thanked her and entered the room. A woman five children and a
nurse were seated round the room. The nurse had two small babies on her
knee which she was trying to hush to sleep in vain. The mother was
attempting to comb the hair of a very frantic little boy and scolding
two girls who would insist on unfastening all the trunks and scattering
the contents on the floor. Beatrice took no notice of the noisy party,
but went to her corner of the cabin and did her hair and washed her face
in some hard salt water. The stewardess then brought her some tea and a
bit of cake and Beatrice took the opportunity to ask her if she was to
share the same cabin as the children and their elders.

"Well," whispered the stewardess, "I'm sorry to say you must, but I
expect th