position. He was about to descend from the bridge when Flint spoke to
him in regard to the weather, though he could have guessed to a point
what the captain was thinking about, perhaps because the same subject
occupied his own thoughts.

"I think we shall have a change of weather before morning, Captain
Passford. The wind is drawing a little more to the southward, and we are
likely to have wind and rain," said the first lieutenant.

"Wind and rain will not trouble us, and I am more afraid that we shall
be bothered with fog on this cruise," added Christy as he descended the
ladder to the main deck.

He walked about the deck for a few minutes, observing the various
occupations of the men, who were generally engaged in amusing
themselves, or in "reeling off sea yarns." Then he went below. At the
foot of the stairs in the companion way, the door of the ward room was
open, and he saw that Lillyworth was seated at the table. He sat at the
foot of it, the head being the place of the first lieutenant, and the
captain could see only his back. He was slightly bald at the apex of
his head, for he was an older man than either the captain or the first
lieutenant, but inferior to them in rank, though all of them were
masters, and seniority depended upon the date of the commissions;
and even a single day settled the degree in these days of multiplied
appointments. Christy went into his cabin, where the table was set for
his own supper.

The commander looked at his barometer, and his reading of it assured him
that Flint was correct in regard to his prognostics of the weather. But
the young officer had faced the winter gales of the Atlantic, and the