t I don't suppose he will, and so we must make
the best of it. But if I was you, sir, and didn't belong to the crew, I
should just slip off below and turn into my bunk till breakfast-time in
the morning. What do you say?"

"No," said Rodd shortly; and he stopped on deck and watched with the men
till the sun was well on high.

Then the suggestion of breakfast seemed so full of promise that after
partaking thereof he went back on deck, to stand scanning the beautiful
sunlit plain with the glass; but no further glimpse was seen of the
strange monster that day, nor yet during the next six weeks, during
which time they glided into port for fresh provisions twice, the second
time in that of the sunny Canary Islands. There a week was spent in
inspecting the beauties and the wonders of the old volcanic caverns,
before they were well at sea again with the sun daily growing hotter and
sea and sky more beautiful.

Days upon days were spent in exploring the attractions of the Sargasso
Sea, till the doctor cried "Hold! Enough!" For the bottles in the
laboratory were being filled up too fast, and there was too much to do
yet in the farther south, towards which they sailed slowly and steadily
on, till one day a holiday was announced, for the men had been hard at
work rowing here and rowing there, hauling in drag and dredge, sounding
and hoisting, harpooning fish, and busying themselves with the spoil
they dragged on board, while Captain Chubb stumped up and down with his
hands very deep in his pockets, scowling at his sullied deck, and
wearing clouds upon his sun-tanned brow, till Dr Robson bade the men
throw all the rest overboard, this order, for which the skipper had been
impatiently waiting, being immediately supplemented by another, brief
and prompt.

"Buckets! Swabs!"

And then as the slime of mollusc, fish and seaweed was washed away, and
the deck of the schooner rapidly grew white again, the skipper smiled
and entered into a pleasant chat with the tired naturalist and his
nephew.

The men's holiday was spent after the fashion of such holidays, over the
buffoonery enjoyed by the crew, especially in olden days, in crossing
the line; and then it was onward again amidst glorious sunrises and
sunsets, amidst calms and fervent seas that seemed to blaze back the
heat of the sun.

It was all new to Rodd, and all glorious. He was never tired of seeing
the flying-fish skim out of the water to seek safety, scattered by th