WHEN Captain Rich and the starboard watch had gone below, the third mate went aloft and seated himself on the cross-trees, to watch for the shores of Nantucket. For two hours he remained on his perch, straining his eyes in every direction, but without discovering the wished-for land; and finally, becoming weary of his watch, and being fully satisfied that Captain Rich would never reach his destination as long as he held that course, he descended to the deck and joined Tom, who was walking about, with his hands in his pockets. At this moment, he became aware that some exciting question was being discussed by the boys in the forecastle, and presently the watch came aft in a body, with Harry Green at their head.
“See here, fellows,” said Harry; “if you can tell us where we are going, we’d like to have you do it?”
“Why, we’re bound for Nantucket,” said Tom.
“Well, when will we get there?” asked Harry. “The amount of it is, fellows, we believe that Rich doesn’t understand his business. He has made a great mistake. If our calculations are correct, Nantucket is a long way behind us. What do you think about it, Johnny?”
The third mate had never hinted his suspicions to any of the crew, for he thought that if their skipper was really out of his reckoning, some of the “old sailors” would not be long in finding it out. Besides, he was well enough acquainted with Rich to know that he would be angry when he learned that his crew doubted his ability as a navigator; and that, being commander of the vessel, he would insist that he had a right to do as he pleased. This, Johnny knew, would bring on a mutiny, Captain Rich would be relieved of the command, and thus the object of the cruise would be defeated. Rich had his friends, who would sympathize with him, and, as long as one half of the crew cherished unkind feelings toward the other half, no one on board could enjoy himself. The third mate had thought the matter over, and it had been his desire to keep out of trouble as long as possible.
“Come, now, Harding,” said Harry; “let’s hear what you have to say about this matter. Isn’t there something wrong?”
“I think there is,” replied Johnny. “As near as I can judge, we are at least two hundred miles from land.”
“Two hundred miles!” repeated one of the crew, turning as pale as a sheet; “and in this small vessel. Let’s turn round and go back, fellows!”