It was inky dark in the cabin; the occupants dared not move about
for fear of waking the sailors overhead. Time passed slowly. After
a while Jacket yawned and sighed and grumbled under his breath.
Finally he stretched himself out upon a narrow board bench and
fell asleep. O'Reilly drew Rosa to him and she snuggled
comfortably into his embrace, resting her head upon his shoulder.
It was their first real moment alone.
Now that they had actually embarked upon this enterprise and the
girl had given herself entirely into his hands, now that an
imminent peril encompassed them both, Johnnie felt that Rosa
belonged to him more absolutely, more completely, than at any time
heretofore, so he held her close. He caressed her gently, he
voiced those tender, intimate, foolish thoughts which he had never
dared express. This velvet darkness, this utter isolation, seemed
to unite them; to feel the girl's heart beating against his own
and her breath warm upon his cheek was intensely thrilling. An
exquisite ardor inflamed him, and Rosa responded to it. They
resisted briefly, prolonging the delights of this moment, then her
arms crept about him, her lips met his in absolute surrender.
They began to whisper, cautiously, so as not to disturb the
sleeping boy; they became unconscious of the flight of time. Rosa
lay relaxed against her lover's shoulder and in halting murmurs,
interrupted many times by caresses, she told O'Reilly of her need
for him, and her utter happiness.
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