passing over us, and now he still held her in futile pursuit
of the Coldwater.

"Bring her about, Snider," I directed, "and hold her due
east. We can't catch the Coldwater, and we can't cross the
Atlantic in this. Our only hope lies in making the nearest
land, which, unless I am mistaken, is the Scilly Islands,
off the southwest coast of England. Ever heard of England,
Snider?"

"There's a part of the United States of North America that
used to be known to the ancients as New England," he
replied. "Is that where you mean, sir?"

"No, Snider," I replied. "The England I refer to was an
island off the continent of Europe. It was the seat of a
very powerful kingdom that flourished over two hundred years
ago. A part of the United States of North America and all
of the Federated States of Canada once belonged to this
ancient England."

"Europe," breathed one of the men, his voice tense with
excitement. "My grandfather used to tell me stories of the
world beyond thirty. He had been a great student, and he
had read much from forbidden books."

"In which I resemble your grandfather," I said, "for I, too,
have read more even than naval officers are supposed to
read, and, as you men know, we are permitted a greater
latitude in the study of geography and history than men of