“Could you tell me which way to Cabin 7 in second class?” Albert asked a steward. Everyone in the band had returned to their cabins while he was speaking to Grace. Then Grace had dashed back to her cabin to meet her parents. Albert had wanted to look out at the river before heading back. Only now he was lost! The ship was huge, and he had no idea which way to go.
The steward smiled. “The Empress is confusing. I’ve been directing people to their cabins for the last hour.”
“I wish I had a map of the ship,” said Albert.
The steward pulled a piece of paper and a pencil from his pocket. “Here. I’ll draw you a map and show you your cabin. That should help you find your way around.”
“How many passengers are on board?” asked Albert as the steward drew the map.
“There are 1057 passengers aboard — 253 in second class. And there’s our captain now — Captain Kendall.”
Captain Kendall nodded to Albert and the steward as he surveyed the deck. Albert nodded back. Then he thanked the steward and headed to his cabin.
Albert’s cabin was on the port side of the ship. He found his father there unpacking. Mr. McBride looked up when Albert walked in. “Oh, there you are! I saw you speaking to that young lady after the concert. I hope she enjoyed the music.”
“She did. But I felt terrible when I hit that wrong note.”
“That was unfortunate, son.”
“Next time I won’t make any mistakes. You’ll see, Father.”
Albert’s father patted him on the back. “I hope so. Not everyone your age is given the opportunity to play with the regular band.”
Albert sighed. He wanted to tell his father that it wasn’t his fault he’d made a mistake, but his father hated excuses. “Just get the job done” was his motto. So Albert said nothing.
“Why don’t you take the two bottom drawers of the dresser for your clothes,” said his father.
Albert opened his suitcase and began to remove his belongings. Once he’d found a place for everything, he pulled a postcard from his suitcase. “I promised Mother and Eddie that I’d write them as soon as I boarded the Empress,” he said.
“They’ll be glad to hear from you. Your mother worried about you joining me on this trip.”
“I know,” said Albert, remembering the conversation he had the night before he and his father left King City to catch the train in Toronto to Quebec City.
“Have a wonderful time, but don’t wander off on your own. A big city like London can be dangerous,” his mother had said.
“I’ll be fine, Mother. Really, I will. Don’t worry,” Albert reassured her for the third time that day.
“Don’t forget to walk across London Bridge,” said Eddie. “And don’t forget to visit the tower where all those prisoners were held before …” Eddie made a chopping motion with his hand. Swords, cannons, guns and gallows fascinated him.
Albert smiled, remembering the look on Eddie’s face. Then he signed his name to the postcard and checked the watch his grandparents had given him for his twelfth birthday in March. There was still time before dinner to explore.
“I’m going out to mail this, Father. Then I want to look around the ship.”
“Be careful. You don’t know your way around yet, Albert. The Empress is big. It’s easy to get lost.”
Albert sighed. If only his parents didn’t treat him like a little kid. He wasn’t going to get lost. He showed his father the map the steward had drawn for him. “I’ll use this to find my way around,” he said.
“Good. Don’t forget dinner is promptly at seven.” His father always reminded him to be punctual.
“I’ll be back in time for dinner. I promise.”