“In that I agree with you, Chips,” responds the Captain, “and we may as well move at once.”
“Thet’s true, sir, ef we could move at oncet. But we can’t—leastways not to-day.”
“Why not?”
“It’s too nigh night; we wouldn’t hev time to git to the outer shore,” explained the carpenter.
“Why, there’s an hour of daylight yet, or more!”
“Thet’s cl’ar enough, Captin’. But ef thar were two hours o’ daylight, or twice thet, it wouldn’t be enough.”
“I don’t understand you, Chips. The distance can’t be more than two or three hundred yards.”
“Belike it aren’t more. But for all that, it’ll take us the half of a day, ef not longer, to cover it.”
“How so?” queried the skipper.
“Wal, the how is thet we can’t go by the beach; thar bein’ no beach. At the mouth o’ the cove it’s all cliff, right down to the water. I noticed thet as we war puttin’ inter it. Not a strip o’ strand at the bottom broad enough fur a seal to bask on. We’ll hev to track it up over the hills, an’ thet’ll take no end o’ time, an’ plenty o’ toilin’, too—ye’ll see, Captin’.”