Again her eyes roamed round the sinister reality of the schooner. She suddenly felt sick to death of it all: tired, beyond words tired. Why must she be chained forever to this awful life? Could she never escape, never get back to the ordinary life little girls lead, with their papas and mamas and⁠ ⁠… birthday cakes?

Otto called her. She went to him obediently: though with a presentiment that it was to her execution. He turned, and called Margaret too.

She was in a more attentive mood than she had been the other night with the captain, Heaven knows! But Otto was too preoccupied to notice how frightened her eyes were.

Jonsen had no easy task on the steamer: but Otto did not greatly relish his own. He did not know how to begin⁠—and everything depended on his success.

“See here,” he burst out. “You’re going to England.”

Emily shot him a quick glance. “Yes?” she said at last: her voice showing merely a polite interest.