at jest now anythin is better than
tryin to cruise in the bay, with a flood tide a comin up. Why, whar
d'ye think we'd be? It would ony take an hour or two to put us on Cape
Chignecto, or Cape d'Or, onto a place that we wouldn't git away from in
a hurry,--mind I tell you."

To this, of course, the boys had nothing to say. So, after a half
hour's further sail, the anchor was dropped, and the Antelope stopped
her wanderings for a time.

Tedious as the day had been, it was now worse. The fog was as thick as
ever, the scene was monotonous, and there was nothing to do. Even
Solomon's repasts had, in a great measure, lost their attractions. He
had spread a dinner for them, which at other times, and under happier
circumstances, would have been greeted with uproarious enthusiasm; but
at the present time it was viewed with comparative indifference. It
was the fog that threw this gloom over them. Had the sky been clear,
and the sun shining, they would have viewed the situation with
comparative equanimity; but the fog threw terror all its own around
Tom's position; and by shutting them in on every side, it forced them
to think of him who was imprisoned in the same way--their lost
companion, who now was drifting in the dark. Besides, as long as they
were in motion, they had the consciousness that they were doing
something, and that of itself was a comfort; but now, even that
consolation was taken away from them, and in their forced inaction they
fell back again into the same despondency which they had felt at
Petitcodiac.

"It's all this fog, I do believe," said Captain Corbet. "If it want
for this you'd all cheer up, an be as merry as crickets."

"Is there any prospect of its going away?"

"Wal, not jest yet. You can't reckon on it. When it chooses to go
away, it does so. It may hang on for weeks, an p'aps months. Thar's no
tellin. I don't mind it, bein as I've passed my hull life in the
middle of fog banks; but I dare say it's a leetle tryin to youns."

The repast that Solomon spread for them on that evening was scarce
tasted, and to all his coaxings and remonstrances the boys made no
reply. After the tea was over, they went on deck, and stared silently
into the surrounding gloom. The sight gave them no relief, and gave no
hope. In that dense fog twilight came on soon, and with the twilight
came the shadows of the night more rapidly. At last it grew quite dark,
and finally there arose all around them the v