Mr. Donovan took no part whatever in the unloading of the ship or the unpacking on the island. He said frankly that he disliked fuss intensely, and that the weather was far too hot for movement of any kind. He added to Captain Wilson--it seemed necessary to excuse himself to Captain Wilson--that the action of his heart always became more disordered if he mixed himself up with people who suffered from activity. The deck of the _Ida_ was no place for him. The cabins were stuffy and the clamour of the donkey engine made him restless. He went ashore. Smith, who was a wonderfully sympathetic man, led him to a high balcony, well shaded, pleasantly airy. There Mr. Donovan established himself on a deck chair. He smoked a great deal and slept a little. He drank the cocktails which Smith found time to prepare for him. He ate the food Smith brought up to him. He found Salissa a pleasant island and looked forward to great peace, when the _Ida_, her cargo unloaded, should sail away. He had only one real trouble. Not even Smith could find ice on Salissa. Mr. Donovan sighed over his own want of foresight. The patent freezer had been packed in the very bottom of the hold.
Early in the third day the Queen tired of unpacking and arranging furniture. The excitement of running to and fro through the rooms of the palace faded. The merriment which came of seeing kitchen chairs placed in her bedroom palled. She began to feel that Mr. Phillips would never fully understand the beauty and value of a colour scheme. Her clothes were all safely gathered, unpacked and stored away in fragrant heaps. She wanted rest from the ceaseless laughter of the islanders and the noise of pattering bare feet.
"Kalliope," she said, "we'll go for a row."
Kalliope smiled joyously. "Go row," she repeated. She had not the faintest idea what the thing meant, but life was for her a passing from one rapturous experience to another. "Go row" was no doubt some untried pleasure. She stood smiling, waiting further enlightenment.
The Queen made the motions of a rower with her arms. Kalliope, pathetically eager to understand, repeated, "Go row, go row."
The Queen led her to a window and pointed to one of the island boats which had just left the steamer. She went through the pantomime of rowing again. She touched her own breast with her forefinger, then Kalliope's. The girl understood. She ran from the room, through passages, down steps. She reached the landing place.