"Yes. You will take a tinder-box and some touchwood [Footnote: A fungus used as tinder (Polyporous igniarius).] with you, so that we can make a signal if necessary-if land is in sight in the south, for instance"
"Yes, sir."
"We shall have a rough journey, Sergeant."
"What does that matter, sir, but by the way-the lady?"
"I don't think I shall tell her. She would want to go with us."
"And she could not," said the Sergeant, "a woman could not battle with such a gale. Just see how its fury is increasing at this moment!"
Indeed the house was rocking to such an extent that it seemed likely to be torn from its foundations.
"No," said Hobson, "courageous as she is, she could not, she ought not to accompany us. But on second thought, it will be best to tell her of our project. She ought to know in case any accident should befall us"
"Yes," replied Long, "we ought not to keep anything from her, and if we do not come back"....
"At nine o'clock then, Sergeant."