A Fair Slave to the Mahdi — Charles Edward Barns

"I think we're going to have a rough night." Stanslaus steadied himself by grasping the hand rail of the companionway. The three men at the table in the middle of the cabin looked up as the owner of the yacht came below, and one of them just saved a pitcher from falling over the table guard as he replied: "Not exactly a propitious omen for our starting, but if the Ariel's the stanch craft she looks, I'm not lying awake tonight with fright."

"How do you two chaps feel?" asked Stanslaus, taking off a pair of oil-skins and throwing them in the corner. "I've never been seasick yet, but I have hopes, if this kind of weather's going to follow us way across to Africa," answered Hadding, curling himself up in his chair and lighting his pipe.