“What do you mean? Are we in for a storm? This craft is staunch enough to ride out anything that is likely to hit us.�
“It’s not that,�
“Well, what then?�
“Fog. Do you see that smoky looking line yonder to the north?�
“Yes, it does look like smoke on the top of the water.�
“That’s fog. It’s the warm air hitting the cold water. It’ll be all around us in a few hours.�
“Humph! That is bad. Would you suggest lying to?�
“No; for there ain’t likely to be any other craft but ourselves in this part of the ocean and we’ve got a clear run on the compass course to Skull Island. But we’d better keep taking the temperature of the water; there may be ice about and we don’t want to hit a berg.�
“I should say not. Better put Merryweather to work with a bucket and a thermometer and tell him to make half-hourly reports. If the temperature drops, he is to report at once.�
“Very well; that’s a wise plan,� agreed Sherry and went aft to give the seaman his instructions.