"If, in the course of fourteen days," I said, "they eat half of what is
on this yacht, they will want a fairly long time for every meal. We had
better not hurry them, or they won't get through a quarter of it."

"They must have gone to sleep," said Ethelbertha, later on. "It will be
tea-time soon."

They were certainly very quiet. I went for'ard, and hailed Captain
Goyles down the ladder. I hailed him three times; then he came up
slowly. He appeared to be a heavier and older man than when I had seen
him last. He had a cold cigar in his mouth.

"When you are ready, Captain Goyles," I said, "we'll start."

Captain Goyles removed the cigar from his mouth.

"Not to-day we won't, sir," he replied, "_with_ your permission."

"Why, what's the matter with to-day?" I said. I know sailors are a
superstitious folk; I thought maybe a Monday might be considered unlucky.

"The day's all right," answered Captain Goyles, "it's the wind I'm
a-thinking of. It don't look much like changing."

"But do we want it to change?" I asked. "It seems to me to be just where
it should be, dead behind us."

"Aye, aye," said Captain Goyles, "dead's the right word to use, for dead
we'd all be, bar Providence, if we was to put out in this. You see,