“Oh yes. Presently I will sing and play to you as usual.”
“What have you done, mate?”
“Oh, I’ve taken in the jib, and just clewed up, you know. Perhaps, though, our imprisonment in this terrible sea will not be for many weeks.”
Antonio smiled somewhat sadly, but replied, “Mate, we are not going to despair, come what may. Despair never did any good.”
“Besides, I have already discovered,” said Archie, “that we are still drifting, although sometimes our bows are pointing to the nor’ard and sometimes broadside or stern.”
“Have you taken soundings?”
“Yes, and the water is of no great depth. It ranges from seventeen to twenty fathoms.”
“Good! and now let us try to be cheery. To-morrow we will muster by open list, and also survey our stores.”
“Teenie, dearie,” he cried.
Teenie came running at his call.