Arabella learned her duties well, became conversant with the strange terminology used by airmen, and developed cordial relations with the men in her mess. She overheard no further conversations in the head, nor were there any rumblings of mutiny among the crew on deck. Even the conversation she had heard might be no more than dissatisfied grumbling. Yet she feared that insurrection was brewing, and viewed every man with suspicion. She never found herself alone with the captain, and with no knowledge of which officers or men might be involved in the plot, she dared not share her worries with any one else. Despite her caution and concerns, she gradually became more comfortable with her tasks and the other members of the crew. From time to time she was given new duties, which kept her on her toes. The one aspect of airmanship she could not seem to master was that of tying knots, which for all its seeming simplicity proved far more complex in execution than her mind was capable of encompassing.
