But once up and out in the breezy sunshine, all the little dizziness of getting up vanished. Ronald was on deck before her, and welcomed her with a most friendly smile, and little Guy was trotting about, the pet and plaything of the captain, who had found him a ship’s cap, vastly too large for him, which was tied on his head by a broad ribbon.
Sheila was the only lady up at breakfast, and was made much of by the captain and the other passengers. She was full of sparkle and fun, was delighted to be taken to various mysterious portions of the boat where passengers seldom ventured, and spent a perfectly delightful morning, learning a vast deal of nautical lore, and winning the good-will of everybody on board.
She flitted into the cabins where Effie and Miss Adene lay. Effie was quite comfortable, but indisposed for the exertion of getting up in such a rough-and-tumble sea. Miss Adene rose for lunch, but was a little disinclined for talk, and Lady Dumaresq did not appear at all that day.
But soon they passed through the troubled Bay; the water became calm and smiling; one after another the passengers appeared; and Effie would lie on her deck-chair all day, watching the indigo blue of the great Atlantic rollers, which lifted them gently up and let them down, and shone with rainbow tints when the sunlight caught their foam-flecked crests.
Mr. and Mrs. Cossart appeared in due course to sit beside their darling and watch how the fresh breeze brought some colour to her face. But Sheila flitted about like a sprite, never still, always intent upon some fresh fancy. Her merry laugh was one of the familiar sounds about the deck, and she seemed always the centre of a group of admirers.
People were kind to Effie, and would come and chat to her; but the mother began to look with rather jealous eyes upon the little court that Sheila always had round her.
“I hope she is not going to be a little flirt,” she said once to her husband. “She is certainly pretty, but I don’t know if I like that way of hers. She attracts more notice than I think quite seemly.” And in her heart she added, “I can’t have my Effie cut out and overshadowed by that little chit!”
A little care will have to be exercised in purchasing the swarm. It should be got from a reliable local bee-keeper—a man on whom you can depend to give you what you want, namely, a healthy, natural, “first”[2] swarm, weighing not less than about three pounds. You should receive the swarm in May, but the middle of June will not be too late in many parts of England, especially if the season is at all backward.