During this time Tom or his son Bat took his place at the wheel of the helm, and, thanks to his counsels, they were gradually becoming passable steersmen.
Often Mrs.Weldon and the novice talked to each other.

Dick Sand willingly took advice from this intelligent and courageous woman.

Each day he showed her on the ship's chart the course run, which he took by reckoning, taking into account only the direction and the speed of the ship.

"See, Mrs.Weldon," he often repeated to her, "with these winds blowing, we cannot fail to reach the coast of South America.

I should not like to affirm it, but I verily believe that when our vessel shall arrive in sight of land, it will not be far from Valparaiso." Mrs.Weldon could not doubt the direction of the vessel was right, favored above all by those winds from the northwest.