With everything thus satisfactorily in shape, White lighted the binnacle lamp, and giving Cabot a course to steer, went below to prepare the first meal of their long cruise.

"You must keep a sharp lookout," he said as he disappeared down the companionway, "for I don't dare show any lights.

So if we are run into we'll have only ourselves to blame." Left thus to his own devices, Cabot realised for the first time the responsibility of his position and began to reflect seriously upon what he had done.

Until this time one disturbing event had followed another so rapidly that he had been borne along almost without a thought of what he was doing or of the consequences.

As a result, instead of carrying out the purpose for which he had been sent to Newfoundland, and studying its mineral resources, he now found himself forced into flight for having defied the authorities of the island, embarked upon a doubtful trading venture into one of the wildest and least known portions of the continent, and, with but a slight knowledge of seamanship, engaged in navigating a small sailing vessel across one of its stormiest seas.