Ghost Messages by Jacqueline Guest

Author:Jacqueline Guest
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Finians, Novel, Chapter Book, Middle Reader, Historical, Ghost, Mystery, Adventure, Atlantic Crossing, Telegraph Cable, Irish
ISBN: 9781550507010
Publisher: Coteau Books

10

Cabin Boy Overboard

.-- …. . .-. . -.. --- . … .- .. .-.. … .-.. .- -. -..

Before delivering the eggs, Ailish took a detour to the hold to tell Davy about the dismal outcome of their latest adventure and also let him know about the meeting with Paddy later. In her excitement at breaking into Dalton’s cabin she’d forgotten, but when she arrived in the hold, he was nowhere around. Disappointed, she scribbled a note and left it on their favourite packing case.

With a sigh, she decided she’d better report in to Dalton or he’d wonder where she’d been all this time and start questioning her. She dropped the eggs by the galley and then moved on to the hatchway leading topside, but when she pushed it open, she gasped.

In the short time she’d been below, the world had darkened into a nightmare of thunder and water. A black pall extinguished any light the setting sun may have shared and the sea was now filled with towering cliffs of boiling grey waves.

Icy rain slashed her with razor sharp daggers, instantly soaking her thin clothes and if she hadn’t been holding onto the hatch, the unexpected blast of wind would have blown her down. Within seconds, her hair dripped and her body felt like a giant icicle. She wished Davy had a sailors’ pea coat in that locker of his as she could surely use it now.

A violent shiver wracked Ailish as she surveyed the ship. Everywhere, shadowy figures of men ran to secure stray items the wind had stolen and tossed around with careless abandon. This was no place for her.

She was about to turn and head back to her stateroom to ride out the storm when she caught a glimpse of ghostly white movement at the stern of the ship. Wiping the rain from her eyes, Ailish looked more closely and was surprised to see it was Dimples. The foolish animal was wandering loose on the deck! In this gale, she’d be washed overboard and no one would notice.

Ailish immediately sprang into action, struggling against the fierce wind and rain as she groped her way toward the wayward ewe. The deck had become slick and she had trouble finding her footing. She flinched as a bright bolt of lightning sliced through the sky telling her the storm was far from abating.

“Dimples!” she called. “Come here, you silly sheep!” It was then that Ailish noticed something very odd indeed.

Dimples had lost weight.

In fact, she was positively skinny!

Then Ailish saw the small bundle curled up on the deck. It was a lamb, a wee, newborn lamb. No wonder Dimples had been so fat. She’d had a baby and must have tried to get as far away from the rest of the flock as was possible on a ship.

Ailish wrapped her arms around the soaking sheep. “Dimples, my girl, your timing is terrible.”

Dimples looked up at her with big brown eyes and made a chuckling sound deep in her throat. Her tone sounded a tiny bit smug and a lot unrepentant.

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