ang it, man," exclaimed the captain testily, "anything is preferable
to this confounded calm."

"Well, I don't quite agree with you there," said Mr Marline drily;
"there is such a thing as changing for the worse. Have you looked at
the glass, eh?"

"'Pon my word, I have not once glanced at it this evening! Dear me,
what on earth could I have been thinking of?" ejaculated the captain in
a sort of apologetic way, darting down instantly below to consult his
unfailing guide, the barometer, which I suppose he had looked at so
vainly for many days past that he had given up the instrument as
incorrigible.

In another moment, however, he was on deck again, rubbing his hands as
triumphantly together as before.

"Pooh, nonsense, Marline!" he cried, "you're an old croaker, saying that
the change would possibly be for the worse! Why, the glass is rising,
man, rising steadily; and, I've no doubt we'll have a splendid breeze
ere nightfall, and glorious weather."

"All right, sir, we'll see," was the mate's cautious answer.

Meanwhile, the after-glow faded out of the sky and the stars began to
come out in batches, especially to the north-west, where they shone as
bright as diamonds, blinking and twinkling with various colours as one
looked at them steadfastly, and seeming ever so much larger than usual.

A faint stir in the air also became perceptible, and the idle sails,
that had so long flapped against the yards lazily only with the roll of
the ship as she lurched to port or starboard with the ocean swell, were
crumpled out a bit, as if they half felt inclined to expand their folds;
but there was not wind enough for this, so they presently flattened
themselves again, determined, apparently, to take it easy.

The time then came to set the first watch, from eight to midnight, of
which Jackson, now, as second mate, took charge, when the captain went
below, saying he was going to turn in early, so as to be ready when the
breeze came, giving strict instructions to be called as soon as any
change was apparent. Mr Marline, however, did not go below; so I
remained on the poop with him and Jackson, the two walking up and down
the deck and talking together while I stood by.

The sky was wonderfully clear now, the firmament being studded with the
greater constellations, and myriads of the lesser lights of the night
powdering the heavens with their golden dust everywhere.

But this was not for long.

Shortly before nine o'clock