They fascinated him till their plainness to his sight gave him a conviction that there was danger there.

He knew in his mind what to do in the emergency, but very properly he felt that he must call the captain out at once.
He crossed the deck in one bound.

By the immemorial custom and usage of the sea the captain's room is on the starboard side.

You would just as soon expect your captain to have his nose at the back of his head as to have his state-room on the port side of the ship.

Powell forgot all about the direction on that point given him by the chief.