"Wait a little." "Forty-six minutes, thirty seconds," again read off the captain.

"Capital sights both! but the sun is behind that dark cloud, and we shall have no more of his presence." "Nor of ours, I assure you, sir," said Mrs Ferguson, rising, as Captain Drawlock walked from the gangway to the capstern.
"Why, my dear madam, what is the matter ?" "We have not been accustomed to such peremptory language, sir.

It may be the custom on board ship to holla 'stop' to ladies when they address you, or express a wish to leave the deck." "My dearest madam, I do assure you, upon my honour, that you are under a mistake.

I ordered Mr Forster to stop, not you." "Mr Forster!" replied the lady; "why, he was standing still the whole time!" It was not until the whole system of taking sights for chronometers had been satisfactorily explained, that the lady recovered her good-humour.
While the captain was thus employed with Mrs Ferguson, Newton, although it was not necessary, explained the mystery to Miss Revel, who, with Mrs Ferguson, soon after quitted the deck.
The sights taken proved the ship to be to the eastward of her reckoning.
The other ships in company had made the same discovery, and the course was altered one quarter of a point.

In two days they dropped their anchor in Funchal Roads.
But I must for a little while recross the Bay of Biscay, and, with my reader, look into the chambers of Mr John Forster..