ear and transparent was the air that had there been anything in
the nature of a sail within thirty miles he could have seen it. The
horizon, however, was as bare as it had been from the deck; and he
presently descended from his post of observation with an obstinate
feeling of relief that made him intensely angry with himself.

Three times, that evening, during the dog-watches, did Leslie try the
door of Purchas's cabin, in an endeavour to gain access to the man and
ascertain his condition. On the first two occasions he failed, the door
remaining locked against him; but when for the third time he found the
door still fastened, he lost patience and, setting his shoulder to the
obstruction, burst it open; having arrived at the conclusion that the
fellow ought not to be left to himself any longer.

He found the cabin, as he had quite expected, reeking with the fumes of
rum, and Purchas still insensible in his bunk. It had been a matter of
astonishment to him how the man had contrived to keep himself supplied
with drink; for although Leslie, Miss Trevor, and the steward were
constantly in and out of the main cabin--from which alone access was to
be gained to the lazarette, wherein the ship's stores and the spirits
were stowed--no one had seen him moving about. Stifling therefore the
feeling of loathing and nausea that possessed him, he proceeded to
institute a search of the cabin with the object of ascertaining whether
the drunkard had secreted a supply therein. The search resulted in the
speedy discovery of twelve bottles, seven of them empty, an eighth about
a quarter full, and four still unbroached. The whole of these he at
once got rid of by opening the port in the side of the cabin, and
launching them through it into the sea. Then, leaving the port
wide-open to sweeten the air somewhat, and assist in the revivification
of the man in the bunk, he retired from the cabin, closing the door
behind him, and went on deck.

The prolonged incapacity of the new skipper rendered it necessary for
Leslie to make some arrangement whereby he could secure a proper amount
of rest; and therefore, the carpenter being a steady and fairly reliable
man, he arranged with him that the latter should take charge of the
starboard watch during Purchas's "indisposition." It was Leslie's eight
hours in, that night, and consequently he was free to retire to his
cabin between the end of the second dog-watch and midnight; but the
weather was