the time thus obtained with that indicated by the chronometer, and find a
difference of four hours."

"I see it all!" exclaimed the fair maiden, as triumphantly as though she
had herself reasoned out the problem. "Four hours make 240 minutes, and
four minutes to a degree gives 60° as the longitude.

"Quite correct, Miss Woolridge," added Scott approvingly.

"If I could only take the sun, I could work up the longitude myself," the
little beauty declared.

"You have already taken the son," replied Scott; but he meant the son of
Mrs. Belgrave, and he checked himself before he had "put his foot in it;"
for Louis would have resented such a remark.

"I have seen them do it, but I never took the sun myself," protested the
maiden.

The sea had suddenly begun to make itself felt a few hours before, and a
flood of spray was cast over the promenade, which caused the party to
evacuate it, and move farther aft. It was the time of year for the
north-east monsoons to prevail, and the commander had declared that the
voyage would probably be smooth and pleasant all the way to Bombay. It did
not look much like it when the ship began to roll quite violently.




CHAPTER II