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           Thevoyagewasanightmare.BeforetheWahinewasoutofWellingtonharbortheywereallseasick,andtheycontinuedtobeseasickallthewayacrosstwelvehundredmilesofgale-stirred,wintryseas.Paddytooktheboysupondeckandkeptthemthereinspiteofthebitterwindandconstantspray,onlygoingbelowtoseehiswomenandbabywhensomekindsoulvolunteeredtokeepaneyeonhisfourmiserable,retchingboys.Muchthoughheyearnedforfreshair,Frankhadelectedtoremainbelowtoguardthewomen.Thecabinwastiny,stiflingandreekedofoil,foritwasbelowthewaterlineandtowardthebow,wheretheship’smotionwasmostviolent.

           SomehoursoutofWellingtonFrankandMeggiebecameconvincedtheirmotherwasgoingtodie;thedoctor,summonedfromfirstclassbyaveryworriedsteward,shookhisheadoverherpessimistically.

           "Justaswellit’sonlyashortvoyage,"hesaid,instructinghisnursetofindmilkforthebaby.

           BetweenboutsofretchingFrankandMeggiemanagedtobottle-feedHal,whodidn’ttaketoitkindly.Feehadstoppedtryingtovomitandhadsunkintoakindofcoma,fromwhichtheycouldnotrouseher.ThestewardhelpedFrankputherinthetopbunk,wheretheairwasalittlelessstale,andholdingatoweltohismouthtostemthewaterybilehestillbroughtup,Frankperchedhimselfontheedgebesideher,strokingthemattedyellowhairbackfromherbrow.