<div style="text-align: justify;">Elizabeth gladly accepted the help Hans had offered her in the form of filling her bucket. After the boy handed her the bucket, she nodded and started her work. While she kept on cleaning, the girl paid attention to Hans. "I think you are right. I will try to be more patient".<br/><br/>With a smile, the girl stopped talking and started working on her railing. As Hans, she didn't complain about having to clean all day. It was easy to see that as long as they worked hard and behaved well, life wouldn't be that bad in the ship.<br/><br/>In the next few weeks, Elizabeth learned a few things. She learned the names of the men. She then learned which ones were easier to deal with. She learned that Peg-leg Jacob was indeed a really nice man. And that some of the men didn't really like the captain. These were relevant facts, but they weren't the only ones.<br/><br/>She learned that Hans was a good friend, that most of the men in the ship weren't bad people, and that not all of them agreed with the idea of selling her when she was older. She learned also that as time went by, she didn't feel as seasick as on the first days. And a few other things, like which side North was, and how to guide herself by using the stars as a compass. Her curiosity also taught her to ask the right questions at the right moments, and with a question here and one there she would learn and share what she learned with her new friend.<br/><br/>Now, a few weeks into her stay at the ship, cleaning the deck was already something Elizabeth did with a certain ease. The two kids were given tasks like cleaning, helping the men in small repairs, and sometimes even helping the cook. It made the hours go by faster, and kept them both out of trouble.<br/><br/>As the two youngest people in the ship sat down on the deck for their meal, Elizabeth devoted a few minutes to eating quietly, before she spoke to Hans. "Did you hear anything important today?", she asked, keeping her voice down to almost a whisper.</div>