"You don't give us much time to get ready, Mr. Commander," said Mrs.
Belgrave, as all the ladies hurried away to the cabin to prepare for the
grand occasion that had so suddenly dawned upon them.
"Elaborate toilets are hardly expected at sea, out of sight of land.
Claw-hammer coats are not imperative, gentlemen," said the captain.
Though the two steamers were not in a hurry, both of them resumed their
course as soon as the Blanche's boat was hoisted up to the davits; for it
is part of the shipmaster's gospel to "keep moving" under all possible
circumstances, and to lose no time in arriving at his destined port. All
the passengers went below to prepare for the dinner. The Blanche had come
within fifty yards of her consort, as the sea was quite smooth.
"Where is that music, Mr. Boulong?" asked the captain, opening the door
from his cabin to the pilothouse.
"From the Blanche, Captain."
"But it seems to be a band. Is it an orchestrion?"
"Not at all; there are eight pieces of music on the promenade deck. It
seems that His Highness has a small band on board, though I have not heard
it before," added the first officer.
The commander thought the music was very fine, and he concluded that
Captain Sharp was running near the Guardian-Mother for the purpose of
giving the band an introduction to the consort.
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