ut of San Francisco harbor.

CHAPTER XI

CAPTAIN BERGEN MAKES TWO IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES

Before the faintest streak of light appeared in the eastern horizon,
Captain Bergen was awake and in the rigging, with the binocular
glasses in his hand.

The most careful computation showed they were in latitude about 19
south and longitude 140 west. They had passed to the eastward of the
Mendina Archipelago, catching a glimpse of one of the islands, where
the mate proposed they should touch and obtain some supplies. But the
captain was too eager to push ahead, and Grebbens had told him that
one peculiarity about the little island which was their destination
was that it contained fresh water, with some tropical fruit, while
there could be no difficulty in catching all the fish they wished.

Since the island was altogether uninhabited, and very rarely
visited, it would have been a good thing for the party could the
suggestion of the mate have been carried out. But it was the
conviction of Captain Bergen that they would not spend more than
two weeks at the fishery--if such it might be called--and, under
the circumstances, it cannot be said he was imprudent. Steadying
himself with one arm about the mast, the captain stood firmly in his
elevated position, and, as the sun came slowly up and the golden
radiance spread over the sky and sea, he swept the arch of the
horizon to the south, east and west, straining his keen vision for the
first sight of the eagerly-wished-for land.

"Water, water," he murmured, despondingly. "Water everywhere, and no
sight of the haven! Hello!"

His heart gave a great bound, for, just in the edge of the horizon--at
the very point where ocean and sky met--he saw a dark substance, like
a fleecy vapor, no bigger than a man's hand.

"It may be a cloud," said the captain to himself, as he carefully
scrutinized it, "and it may be land; and, by the great horn spoon, it
is land! Land ho!"

"Where away?" called back Storms, from below, quite confident what the
answer would be.

"Two points on the weather-bow."

The mate headed toward the point indicated, and then silence reigned
for awhile on board, excepting in the case of Inez, who bounded up on
deck, and was here, there and everywhere.

The captain was left to himself, for Abe Storms knew he would come
down and report as soon as he had anything definite; and, in the
nature of things, he could know nothing positive for a considerable
time to