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. . Flora went up first, got down on deck and
stood stock-still till the captain took her by the arm and led her aft.
The ship-keeper let them into the saloon. He had the keys of all the
cabins, and stumped in after them. The captain ordered him to open all
the doors, every blessed door; state-rooms, passages, pantry,
fore-cabin--and then sent him away.
"The _Ferndale_ had magnificent accommodation. At the end of a passage
leading from the quarter-deck there was a long saloon, its sumptuosity
slightly tarnished perhaps, but having a grand air of roominess and
comfort. The harbour carpets were down, the swinging lamps hung, and
everything in its place, even to the silver on the sideboard. Two large
stern cabins opened out of it, one on each side of the rudder casing.
These two cabins communicated through a small bathroom between them, and
one was fitted up as the captain's state-room. The other was vacant, and
furnished with arm-chairs and a round table, more like a room on shore,
except for the long curved settee following the shape of the ship's
stern.


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