CHAPTER IX 

MERRIL TIGHTENS THE SCREW 

The _Sorata_ went to sea again next morning, and one night a week later she bore up for Vancouver before a westerly breeze. A thin crescent moon had just cleared the dim white line of the mainland snow, and the sea glittered faintly in her frothing wake under a vast sweep of dusky blue. The big topsail swayed across it, blotting out the stars, and there was a rhythmic splashing beneath the bows. 

Anthea Merril stood at the tiller outlined against the heave of sea, for the night was warm and she was dressed in white. Nellie Austerly sat on a locker in the cockpit, and her father on the saloon skylights with a cigar in his hand. Valentine lay on the deck not far away, and Jimmy a little further forward. 

"I suppose we will be in soon after daylight, and I'm sorry," said Nellie Austerly. "It has been an almost perfect cruise in spite of the bad weather. Don't you wish we were going back again, instead of home, Anthea?" 

Jimmy roused himself to attention, for he would very much have liked to hear Miss Merril's real thoughts on the matter; but she laughed. 

"I don't think it would be very much use if I did," she said. "One can't go sailing always--and if you feel that that is a pity, you can think of the rain and the wind." 

"Ah!" said Nellie Austerly, "one has to bear so much of them everywhere. Sometimes one wonders whether life is all gray days and rain; but this trip has made me better, and, perhaps, if Mr. Valentine will take us, we will go back next year and revel once more in the sea and the sunshine--we really had a good deal of the latter."  QUESTIONS:

Q1:
1. What did Anthea have on?
2. What was Anthea clothed in?
3. What was Anthea derssed in?
Q2:
1. Who else was on the boat, besides Anthea?
2. Who was on the boat with Anthea?
3. Who joined Anthea upon the ship?
Q3:
1. What was Nellie Austerly doing?
2. What was Nellie Austerly up to?
3. What activity was Nellie Austerly getting into?
Q4:
1. What was the name of the boat?
2. What was the boat called?
3. What was the name of the maritime vessel?
Q5:
1. Was Nellie austerly wishing to go home?
2. Did Nellie Austerly want to return to her home?
3. Does the prospect of going home bring joy to Nellie Austerly?
Q6:
1. When in the day does the story take place?
2. At what point in the day is the story happening?
3. When in the cycle of 24 hours is it?
Q7:
1. How is the weather?
2. What kind of weather are the ship's passengers enjoying?
3. How does it feel outside?
Q8:
1. Was there a full moon?
2. Did the moon appear full?
3. Was all of the moon visible in the sky?
Q9:
1. What kind of moon was in the sky?
2. What shape was the moon?
3. How did the moon appear?
Q10:
1. What was Nellie's father up to?
2. What could Nellie's dad be found doing?
3. What was the activity of Nellie's father?
Q11:
1. Who laid down on the deck?
2. Who was resting upon the deck floor?
3. 
Q12:
1. How had the trip affected Nellie Austerly?
2. What was one consequence of the trip for Nellie Austerly?
3. How was Nellie Austerly affected by the voyage?
Q13:
1. When does Nellie Austerly want to take the trip?
2. When would Nellie Austerly like to redo the voyage?
3. At what point does Nellie Austerly wish to travel again?
Q14:
1. Who would take Nellie on the trip again?
2. Who would be able to accompany Nellie on a second trip?
3. If Nellie takes the trip again, who will go with her?
