Free The Boat Girls by Margaret Mayhew Page B

Miss Rowan had gone over to the workshops for something. Meanwhile, she helped them get their luggage onto one of the boats and down into the cabin.
    â€˜Pip said you’re to share this one. It’s a bit smaller than the cabin on the butty because you’ve got the engine, but there’s no difference otherwise.’
    Janet had hit her head against the ceiling as she’d clambered down. She looked round, open-mouthed.
    â€˜We have to live in
here
?
Both
of us? I can’t even stand up properly.’
    â€˜There’s more room than you think. I’ll show you where everything goes.’
    The girl opened up cupboards, let down a flap that became a table and pointed out the cooking range and the box under the step where the coal for it was kept. There was scarcely space for them to turn around and look while she explained it all.
    Janet said slowly and sarcastically, ‘Would you mind telling us where we’re supposed to sleep?’
    â€˜Well, this is one bed – the side bunk – and there’s another bed that folds up into that cupboard at the back during the day which is much wider. I’ll leave you to unpack, shall I? You’ll have more room without me.’
    When she’d gone Janet exploded.
    â€˜It’s disgraceful! They got us here under false pretences. Nobody said anything about putting us in a place like this.’ She sat down heavily on the side bunk. ‘I’ll have to have the other bed. This one’s much too small for me. And there’s not going to be nearly enough room for my things.’
    There wasn’t, which meant she took up most of Prudence’s cupboard space as well.
    Miss Rowan returned and called down into thecabin. ‘How are you two getting on? May I come in?’
    She was about half Janet’s size, but very firm when Janet immediately began to complain.
    â€˜The cabins are small because the important thing about narrowboats is the cargo they carry, so as much space as possible is given over to the hold. I’m sure you’ll get used to it – most girls do. Why don’t you both come over to the butty cabin and we’ll all have a cup of tea together before I show you both round the boats. We won’t have long, I’m afraid, because we should be getting our orders soon – which means we’ll have to leave straight away. You’ll be learning as we go along.’
    They climbed across to the boat tied up next door where the girl, Frances, had boiled a kettle on the range and was making a pot of tea. There was just room for the four of them to squash round the let-down table and Miss Rowan, who asked them to call her Pip, offered some digestive biscuits; Janet, Prudence noticed, took two. After that, they were taken round both the boats.
    She followed in Janet’s stolid wake, clutching at every available handhold and trying to pay attention to what was being said. Miss Rowan – she must remember to call her Pip – was talking about snubbers and shafts and studs and straps and sheets. She struggled to take it all in, but it was impossible. They came to the room where theengine lived and were lectured about that as well – about handles and flywheels and compression levers. Also, about the bucket.
    Janet, who seemed rather wary of Pip, and had been unusually silent, found her voice again. ‘You mean we’re supposed to . . . to use
that
?’
    â€˜You’ll soon get used to it,’ was the brisk answer. ‘Now, let’s see how you both manage the top planks.’
    A very long and very narrow walkway of planks had been erected across the length of the empty hold, leading to the front end of the boat, far away. Pip went across first and Janet, who seemed to have no nerves at all, bounced after her to the other side. Now it was Prudence’s turn and she was rooted to the spot with fear.
    Pip shouted encouragement. ‘Come on, Prudence. You can do it. Just