American Boys Afloat by Oliver Optic

"Where are we now, Captain Scott? " asked Louis, who had just finished his breakfast, as he went into the pilot-house to relieve the starboard watch.

Morris was with him, and he took the wheel according to the programme which had been laid down in the beginning of the voyage. This was at eight o'clock on the second morning of the trip. The captain had his chart table in use when they entered, with Felix at the wheel.

"Where are we now is the question; and I can't guess the conundrum exactly, for I don't know how fast we have been running during the night," replied Scott. "Our standard speed is ten knots an hour; but the log last evening showed that we were doing three knots better than that."

Then he looked at a station-bill he had made out in pencil which was tacked to the starboard door for the want of a better place. It showed all the watches, who served on them, the number of hours from Europa Point, from which the departure was made, and the number of miles run at the end of each watch, figured at the standard speed.

"We are thirty-two hours out, and have run three hundred and twenty miles, or ought to have run only that; but in the last twelve hours we have probably made from twenty-four to thirty-six miles more than that," continued the captain. "I will heave the log after breakfast, and that will give us a better idea, for we are still carrying the reefed foresail. Morris reported to me when he was relieved by the morning watch that he had started the sheets about two bells. We have the wind on the starboard quarter now, and it must help her somewhat. I should say that we had made three hundred and forty-four miles."

"Land, ho! " shouted Felix, who had gone out on the deck.

"Where away? " demanded Scott.

"On the beam," replied Felix.

"That is just where it ought to be," added Scott, as he turned to his chart. "We must be off Magrowa Point, where the mountains are close to the shore. Three hundred and forty-four miles must be the figure."

The captain and Felix went to breakfast, after which the log was heaved and it gave twelve knots. The Maud was now going along with comparative steadiness. The gale had entirely subsided, though the sea was not yet reduced to its former smooth condition. There was a gentle breeze, and Scott ordered the reef in the foresail to be shaken out. Don declared that they had burned too much coal while the wind was so fresh, and that they had reduced the quantity.

At four bells, when Louis took the wheel, the log was tried again, and it appeared that the old standard of ten knots had been restored in spite of the sail. But Scott had bent on the mainsail and jib while he, Felix, and Don were off watch, assisted by the steward. He had set all sail, and then the log gave eleven knots. He had hardly completed the job before the starboard watch were called to dine before they took the deck at eight bells. Morris was the lookout on the promenade deck, attending to the sails also.

"Sail, ho! " shouted he, standing over the pilot-house.

"Where away? " demanded Louis.

"Directly astern of us! " cried Morris.

Pitts carried this report to the cabin. Louis had no chance to observe the sail, and he passed the glass up to his watch-mate. Morris examined the distant sail with the instrument, and he could see only her masts and sails; but a streak of black smoke in the air indicated that she was a steamer. She was hull down, and he could not make out anything about her. But it was soon evident to him that the sail was gaining rapidly on the Maud.

Louis struck eight bells, which was noon this time, and the captain and Felix appeared on time. He wrote "386 miles" on his station-bill as the distance the Maud had made at the end of the forenoon watch. He took the wheel, and then asked about the sail which had been reported. All that was known was stated to him; but he could make nothing of it.

"I don't know when the Guardian-Mother left Gib, and of course I can't tell when she will overhaul us," said he. "She must have got off some time yesterday forenoon, and it is time that she was up with us. On the upper deck, Flix, watch the sails, and keep a lookout for the steamer astern."

After Felix and Morris had dined they hastened to the promenade deck; they were interested in the sail astern, for it had been already demonstrated that it was steering the same course as the Maud. In a couple of hours more, her burgee, which had evidently been set for a purpose, could be distinguished.

"It's the Guardian-Mother as sure as that my mother was born in Ireland! " exclaimed Felix, who was the lookout man, and had the glass, which he passed to Louis as soon as he had satisfied himself.

"The sail is the Guardian-Mother! " he shouted over the pilot-house.