Every moment the launch plunged almost bows under into the hollow of the sea, then rising again suddenly as the waves passed under her keel, her stern sinking down level with the surface at the same time and her prow being high in the air.

I thought it somewhat dangerous at first, but dad and the other men took it so coolly that I was soon reassured and quite enjoyed the motion.
It seemed ever so much nicer than swinging to me; for the up and down movement was as regular as clockwork, in rhythmical harmony with the undulations of the unbroken billows that swept in, one after another, in measured succession from seaward--pursuing their onward course until they broke on the curving shore of the bay, inside of us, with a dull low roar, like that of some caged wild animal kept under restraint and unable to exert its full strength.
After an hour's hard pulling, the boat got alongside the ship at last, but the vessel floated so high out of the water that I could not help wondering how we should ever be able to climb on board; for the square portholes, which were the only openings in her massive wall-like sides that I could see, were far above the level of the launch, even when the swelling surge lifted us up every now and then on the top of a heaving roller.
Dad, however, quickly solved the difficulty.

At once catching hold of a couple of side lines which hung down from above, he swung himself dexterously on to a projecting piece of wood, like the bottom rung of a ladder, fixed to the hull of the vessel, and stepping from this to another cleat above he went up the side as easily as if he were ascending an ordinary staircase, soon gaining the deck overhead and disappearing from my view.
"My eye!" ejaculated the sailor beside me in the boat, surprised at dad's familiarity with such a nautical procedure.

"I am blessed if that there gentleman ain't an old hand at it." "You're right, my man," said I proudly, "my father was an officer in the navy once." "Guessed so," replied the sailor laconically.

"I've been an old man-o'- war's man myself and thought I knew the cut of his jib!" I could not imitate dad's example, though, for all that; so, they had to hoist me in like a cask of sugar, as I was not able to get up the side.
I confess I was mightily pleased to find myself landed, presently, safe and sound on the poop of the _Josephine_ by the side of dad and Captain Miles, both of whom seemed much amused at my rather ignominious entry on board the vessel.