“Anything in sight, Bol?”
“Noting, Mr. Fielding,” he answered out of the depth of his lungs; “but dere vhas time. She vhas not to-morrow yet.”
“No, by tunder, Mr. Fielding. Enough vhas as goodt as a feast. I like der captain’s notion of a star. She vhas a fine idea. Der verm vhas silly. How shall a verm shine in vater. Vill not der vater put her light out?”
I was in no humor to talk to him about phosphorus.
“You had better go forward and get some rest,” said I. “Should daylight give us the island there will be plenty to do for all hands.”
He grunted and moved forward, but not to turn in. His unwieldy shape joined other flitting forms, and I heard his deep voice rumbling first on one bow and then on t’other as he crossed the deck.
Greaves made his appearance three or four times during this middle watch. He did not stay. He would come up to me and say:
“Well, what do you see?”
“I see nothing.”