to navigate the Maud to Bombay; and with it came the blue book, which
treats mainly of winds, weather, and currents," added Scott. "I studied it
with reference to this voyage, and I found a paragraph which interested me.
I will go to my state-room for the book, if you will permit me to read
about ten lines from it to you."

The captain did not object, and Scott soon returned to the commander's
cabin with the book. The autocrat of the ship was plainly dissatisfied with
himself at the failure of his prediction for fine weather, and perhaps he
feared that the ambitious young officer intended to instruct him in regard
to the situation, though Scott had conducted himself in the most modest and
inoffensive manner.

"I don't wish to be intrusive, Captain Ringgold, but I thought it was
possible that you had forgotten this paragraph," said the young officer,
with abundant deference in his tone and manner.

"Probably I never saw it; but read it, Mr. Scott," replied the commander.

"The weather is generally fine, and the sky clear, with neither squall nor
rain, except between Ras Seger and the island of Masira,'" Scott began to
read, when the commander interrupted him, and fixed his gaze on the chart,
to find the localities mentioned.

"Ras Sajer," said the captain, placing the point of his pencil on the cape
whose name he read. "That must be the one you mention."

"No doubt of it, sir; and I have noticed that the spelling on the chart and
in the books doesn't agree at all. The island is Massera on my chart."