Page:Dickens - A Child s History of England, 1900.djvu/550

120 it be not a dangerous one; but the interests of science must be promoted, and I am prepared for the worst."

" Five minutes later. "He has produced a large pair of scissors, and drawn a roll of some substance, not unlike parchment in appearance, from the tin case. The experiment is about to begin. I must strain my eyes to the utmost, in the attempt to follow its minutest operation."

" Twenty minutes before two. "I have at length been enabled to ascertain that the tin tube contains a few yards of some celebrated plaster recommended—as I discover on regarding the label attentively through my eyeglass—as a preservative against sea-sickness. Mr. Slug has cut it up into small portions, and is now sticking it over himself in every direction."

" Three o'clock. "Precisely a quarter of an hour ago we weighed anchor, and the machinery was suddenly put in motion with a noise so appalling, that Professor Woodensconce, who had ascended to his berth by means of a platform of carpet-bags arranged by himself on geometrical principles, darted from his shelf headforemost, and gaining his feet with all the rapidity of extreme terror, ran wildly into the ladies' cabin; under the impression that we were sinking, and uttering loud cries for aid. I am assured that the scene which ensued baffles all description. There were one hundred and forty-seven ladies in their respective berths at the time.

"Mr. Slug has remarked, as an additional instance of the extreme ingenuity of the steam-engine as applied to purposes of navigation, that, in whatever part of the vessel a passenger's berth may be situated, the machinery always appears to be exactly under his pillow. He intends stating this very beautiful, though simple, discovery to the association."

" Half-past three. "We are still in smooth water; that is to say, in as Smooth water as a steam-vessel ever can be, for, as Professor Woodensconce, who has just woke up, learnedly remarks, another great point of ingenuity about a steamer