"I don't think so," Charley disagreed. "Why, the sky is as clear as a bell all around. There's not a sign of a cloud."
"I hope you are right. It don't always take clouds to make a wind, though, lad. Some of the worst gales I ever saw came out of a clear sky."
"If it comes on to blow hard we will not be able to hang at anchor," Charley said, thoughtfully, impressed by the old sailor's uneasiness.
"No, the anchor won't hold in this deep water," agreed the sailor. "Even if it did catch on a ledge of rock and keep from dragging, we would have to cut loose if the sea ran high. With one short cable it would help to pull our bows under."
"What direction do you think will the gale come from, if it comes at all?" the lad inquired.
"From the same quarter the wind's blowing now," the captain replied, promptly. "That's the only good feature about a clear gale, the wind never shifts or varies but blows steady from one point."
"Let's see," said Charley, considering. "It's blowing from the north-west now. That would neither drive us ashore nor out to sea, but straight down the coast."
"We might hit some of the capes or cays way down the coast if the launch lasted to drift that far," said the old sailor.
"Well," said Charley, philosophically, "if it comes, it comes. If it doesn't, it doesn't. We can't do any good by sitting up worrying and watching for it, so I am going to turn in."