At noon I have no orders for a change of course, and the mate's whiskers became much concerned and seemed to be offering themselves unduly to my notice. At last I said:

     "I am going to stand right in. Quite in--as far as I can take her."

     The stare of extreme surprise imparted an air of ferocity also to his eyes, and he looked truly terrific for a moment.

     "We're not doing well in the middle of the gulf," I continued, casually. "I am going to look for the land breezes tonight."

     "Bless my soul! Do you mean, sir, in the dark amongst the lot of all them islands and reefs and shoals?"

     "Well--if there are any regular land breezes at all on this coast one must get close inshore to find them, mustn't one?"

     "Bless my soul!" he exclaimed again under his breath. All that afternoon he wore a dreamy, contemplative appearance which in him was a mark of perplexity. After dinner I went into my stateroom as if I meant to take some rest. There we two bent our dark heads over a half-unrolled chart lying on my bed.