The others
rested on their oars, and dozed. Awnings had been made of one thing and
another, in all the boats, and the passengers found it cooler to be under
them in the shade, when there was room enough, than to be in the thick
woods. So, the passengers were all afloat, and mostly sleeping. I kept
my post behind Miss Maryon, and she was on Captain Carton's right in the
boat, and Mrs. Fisher sat on her right again. The Captain had Mrs.
Fisher's daughter on his knee. He and the two ladies were talking about
the Pirates, and were talking softly; partly, because people do talk
softly under such indolent circumstances, and partly because the little
girl had gone off asleep.
I think I have before given it out for my Lady to write down, that
Captain Carton had a fine bright eye of his own. All at once, he darted
me a side look, as much as to say, "Steady--don't take on--I see
something!"--and gave the child into her mother's arms. That eye of his
was so easy to understand, that I obeyed it by not so much as looking
either to the right or to the left out of a corner of my own, or changing
my attitude the least trifle. The Captain went on talking in the same
mild and easy way; but began--with his arms resting across his knees, and
his head a little hanging forward, as if the heat were rather too much
for him--began to play with the Spanish gun.
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