“Now, see here, fellows!” exclaimed one of the watch, “where’s the land?”
“There’s the captain,” answered Johnny. “Ask him.”
“Land isn’t far off,” said Rich, who had overheard the question. “We’ll reach it long before daylight.”
If the captain expected that this assurance would silence the fears of his crew, if they had any, he was mistaken; for, no sooner had he disappeared below, than the port watch gathered in a group on the forecastle, where they held a consultation. Johnny saw what was going on, but he kept aloof from them, determined to carry out the resolution he had made at the beginning of the voyage, that he would not be the first one to complain. Tom, as usual, paced the deck in deep mental abstraction, and he did not notice what was taking place on the forecastle. Contrary to the third mate’s expectations, however, no demonstration was made, for, after a few moment’s whispering among themselves, the watch, with the exception of two lookouts, stretched themselves on deck. Johnny, and the rest of the watch, turned in at midnight, and, when they came on deck again in the morning, there was no land in sight—nothing but the clear blue sky above them, and the ocean beneath. The third mate looked at the captain as if to say, “What do you think of it now?” But Rich, although he well knew what was passing in Johnny’s mind, walked down into the cabin without making any reply. He could not help seeing that he had made a mistake in his calculations, but he was determined that he would not acknowledge it, for that would be equivalent to confessing that he did not understand his business. After kicking off his boots, and divesting himself of his coat, Captain Rich lay down on the floor, for, as usual, the bunks were all occupied by the “foremast hands,” and, in a few moments, was fast asleep. He slept soundly for two hours, in spite of an animated discussion that was carried on over his head, and then he was awakened by one of the port watch, who informed him that he was wanted on deck.
“Is it twelve o’clock already?” he drowsily asked.
“No, but we want to see you on deck at once!”
Rich easily divined, by the boy’s excited manner, that something unusual was going on. Rising from the floor, he picked up his coat and boots, and slowly ascended to the deck.