generally found it necessary to take an opposite view from the lady at
the left.

"You see," said the captain, "we have many delicate women and children
on board and it is necessary to keep up the temperature. Still, perhaps
the man who attends to the steam rather overdoes it. I will speak him."

Then the captain pushed from him his untasted food and went up on the
bridge, casting his eye aloft at the signal waving from the masthead,
silently calling for help to all the empty horizon.

"Nothing in sight, Johnson?" said the captain.

"Not a speck, sir."

The captain swept the circular line of sea and sky with his glasses,
then laid them down with a sigh.

"We ought to raise something this afternoon, sir," said Johnson; "we
are right in their track, sir. The Fulda ought to be somewhere about."

"We are too far north for the Fulda, I am afraid," answered the
captain.

"Well, sir, we should see the Vulcan before night, sir. She's had good
weather from Queenstown."

"Yes. Keep a sharp lookout, Johnson."

"Yes, sir."