American Boys Afloat by Oliver Optic

Since the departure from Algiers the weather had been like a dream of paradise. The African winds came over water enough to cool them, and the thermometer on the deck of the Guardian-Mother stood at seventy, hardly varying from that during the day. Across the Ionian Sea, between Sicily and Greece, the sea was somewhat disturbed, but not enough to make it uncomfortable, even on board of the Maud.

"I think this is perfectly delicious! " exclaimed Mrs. Belgrave, as the little steamer was passing Cape Matapan about noon.

"Nothing could be finer," replied Captain Scott, who had just been relieved by the port watch.

Morris was at the wheel, and Louis had seated Miss Blanche on the forecastle, where he was keeping the lookout. Pitts was busily engaged in getting up a dinner as elaborate as the resources of the little steamer would permit for the guests on board.

"You seem to know all the land and all the water in this part of the world as well as Captain Ringgold, Captain Scott," said Mrs. Belgrave, after they had passed the Cape.

"Why should I not? I have never been here before, but my chart puts me in possession of all it is necessary to know in connection with the navigation," replied the captain, flattered by the remark and not less by the smile of the lady. "We have to cross the entrance of the Gulf of Kolokythia now; but it is not more than twenty miles wide, and then we go into the Cervi Channel."

"Dinner all ready for the starboard watch, Captain Scott," said Pitts, presenting himself in the standing-room.

"Where is Miss Blanche? " asked Mrs. Belgrave.

"She is keeping the lookout with Louis," replied the captain with a significant smile. "The steward will call her."

"I will call her myself," replied the lady as she went forward, where she found Blanche looking through a spy-glass at the shores of Greece under the direction of Louis, who held the end of the glass. "Come to dinner with the starboard watch, Miss Blanche."

"I don't want any dinner yet, Mrs. Belgrave, for I wish to find the hut of the hermit of whom Captain Ringgold told us this morning."

"You will not find it here, for the hermit lived on Cape Malea," said the lady with a merry laugh. "Besides, they don't keep a restaurant on board the Maud, and have 'meals at all hours."

"But the port watch must have meals at all hours; and I have already accepted an invitation to dine with Mr. Woolridge, the distinguished first officer of the Maud, and the equally distinguished deck-hand without any handle to his name whom you call Louis, and I call Mr. Belgrave."

The young lady had her own way, and dined with the port watch to the great satisfaction of the young millionaire deck-hand. The dinner was late on account of the extra preparations made for the guests, and did not conform to the usual hours. The dinner was very creditable to the skill of Pitts; and Miss Blanche enjoyed it quite as much as Louis, though it was doubtless a very tame affair to Morris, who was not elevated to the seventh heaven by the circumstances.

The Maud sped on her course, and was in the middle of the gulf with the Greek name when the port watch finished the dinner, and Louis returned to his post on the forecastle; but the young lady seemed to prefer this part of the deck, and accompanied him. The captain and Felix returned to the standing-room when they were relieved, for they had served out of course on account of the lateness of the dinner hour.

"I suppose you begin to feel at home here, Flix," said the captain as they seated themselves opposite Mrs. Belgrave. "I believe you have always claimed to be a Greek, though you were born in America."

"Is it a Grake? Upon me worrud I am a Grake from Kilkenny," replied Felix; Mrs. Belgrave, who had known him from his childhood, always laughed when he spoke the Milesian dialect, and he used half a dozen different ones.

"Can you give us the Greek name of this island on the starboard hand to which we are coming?"

"Av coorse Oi kin; sure it's Sayraygo."

"I was not aware that you knew any Greek, Felix," added Mrs. Belgrave.