"
But after the mate had returned to the binnacle Ralph was conscious of
a fall in his spirits. Ocean life might be glorious after a while, but
at present he was apparently under everybody; he knew less than
anybody, and--suddenly he threw his hand to his head.
The roar of the breakers was close at hand now, and as the Curlew began
to roll and pitch in quite a pronounced manner, the boy would have been
alarmed but for the overmastering wretchedness of his feelings. His
whole internal system seemed to be turning upside down.
"It must be!" he groaned, staggering to the side. "I--I'm--sea--sick.
Oh--oh--oh--Lordy!"
CHAPTER XIII.
A Taste of Ship's Discipline.
For an hour or more passing events were as naught to Ralph. Too ill to
sling his hammock, he finally crawled under one of the small boats on
the main deck, and at last fell asleep.
The next thing he was conscious of was a terrible chill, a sensation of
drowning, and gasping for breath. As he woke he heard a gruff voice
say:
"If that don't fetch him nothin' won't."
As Ralph opened his eyes, several seamen were standing about, laughing,
one of whom held a half emptied bucket of water.
The boy's head ached and he was thoroughly drenched and miserable.
"Up you get!" said Long Tom, pausing in his walk to and fro in the
waist of the schooner, "Time you were gettin' breakfast on the cabin
table. Cap'n always raises thunder when breakfast is late."
Ralph, on rising to his feet, nearly pitched down again, being brought
up with a round turn in the lee scuppers.
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