it's flyin clar in the face of Providence. Now
look at me--do I pile on sail? Not me. Catch me at it! When I can git
along without, why, I git. At the same time, I don't think you'll find
it altogether for the good of your precious health, boys, to be a movin
about here in the fog at midnight. Better go below. You can't do no
good a settin or a standin up here, squintin through a darkness that
might be felt, an that's as thick as any felt I ever saw. So take my
advice, an go below, and sleep it off."

It was impossible to gainsay the truth of Captain Corbet's remarks, and
as it was really midnight, and the darkness almost as thick as he said,
the boys did go below, and managed to get to sleep in about a minute
and a half after their heads touched the pillows.

Before they were awake on the following day the anchor was hoisted, and
the Antelope was on her way again.

"Here we air, boys," said the captain, as they came on deck, "under
way--the Antelope on her windin way over the mounting wave, a
bereasting of the foamin biller like all possessed. I prophesy for
this day a good time as long as the tide lasts."

"Do you think we'll get to Eastport harbor with this tide?"

"Do I think so?--I know it. I feel it down to my butes. Eastport
harbure? Yea! An arter that we hev all plain-sailin."

"Why, won't the fog last?"

"I don't car for the fog. Arter we get to Eastport harbure we cease
goin down the bay. We then cross over an steal up the other side.
Then it's all our own. If the fog lasts, why, the wind'll last too, an
we can go up flyin, all sails set; an I'll remuve from my mind, for the
time bein, any prejudyce that I have agin wind at sails."

"Do you intend to go ashore at Eastport?"

"Yes, for a short time--jest to make inquiries. It will be a
consolation, you know."

"Of course."

"Then I'll up sail, an away we'll go, irrewspective of tides, across
the bay."

By midday the captain informed them that they were in Eastport harbor.

"See thar," said he, as he pointed to a headland with a light-house.
"That thar is the entrance. They do call this a pootyish place; but as
it's this thick, you won't hev much chance to see it. Don't you want to
go ashore an walk about?"

"Not if we can help it. Of course we'll have to ask after poor Tom,
but we haven't any curiosity."

"Wal, p'aps not--ony thar is people that find this a dreadful cur'ous
place. It's got, as I said, a pootyish harbure; b