"So do I," I said, looking at the whisky bottle. "Otherwise,
after taking those precautions to keep us in the dark, he would
not have let on like that."

"Well," said Bickley, "he can't get to the liquor, except
through this saloon, as it is locked up forward with the other
stores."

"That's nothing," I replied, "as doubtless he has a supply of
his own; rum, I expect. We must take our chance."

Bickley nodded, and suggested that we should go on deck to see
what was happening. So we went. Not a breath of wind was
stirring, and even the sea seemed to be settling down a little.
At least, so we judged from the motion, for we could not see
either it or the sky; everything was as black as pitch. We heard
the sailors, however, engaged in rigging guide ropes fore and
aft, and battening down the hatches with extra tarpaulins by the
light of lanterns. Also they were putting ropes round the boats
and doing something to the spars and topmasts.

Presently Bastin joined us, having, I suppose, finished his
devotions.

"Really, it is quite pleasant here," he said. "One never knows
how disagreeable so much wind is until it stops."

I lit my pipe, making no answer, and the match burned quite
steadily there in the open air.