“How do you mean, of any use, Cross?”
“Why, sir, although no one would suppose it from you—but if the face of the master (and he is not a faint-hearted man neither) is to be taken as a barometer, we shall all be in ‘kingdom come’ before long. I’ve cruised in these seas so often, that I pretty well guess where we are, Captain Keene.”
“Well, Cross, it’s no use denying that we are in a mess, and nothing but the wind going down or changing can get us out of it.”
“Just as I thought sir; well, it can’t be helped, so it’s no use fretting about it. I think myself that the gale is breaking, and that we shall have fine weather by to-morrow morning.”
“That will be rather too late, Cross; for I think we shall be done for in three or four hours, if not sooner.”
“Eleven fathoms, sir,” said the officer of the watch, coming in hastily.
“Very well, Mr Hawkins; let her go through the water,” replied I.
As soon as the cabin door was again shut, I said, “You see, Cross, the tide is now against us, and this will not last long.”
“No, sir; we shall strike in five fathoms with this heavy sea.”
“I know we shall; but I do not wish to dishearten the men before it is necessary, and then we must do our best.”