t is a good idea," said Captain Covajos. "We should sail for the
north if we wished to find an island of apples. Have the vessel
turned northward."

And so, for days and weeks, the two vessels slowly moved on to the
north. One day the Captain made some observations and calculations,
and then he hastily summoned Baragat.

"Do you know," said he, "that I find it is now near the end of
November, and I am quite certain that we shall not get to the port
where my son lives in time to celebrate last Christmas again. It is
dreadfully slow work, towing after us the 'Horn o' Plenty,' full of
corsairs, wherever we go. But we cannot cast her off and sail
straight for our port, for I should lose my good ship, the merchants
would lose all their money, and the corsairs would go unpunished;
and, besides all that, think of the misery of the parents and
guardians of those poor boys. No; I must endeavor to find Apple
Island. And if I cannot reach port in time to spend last Christmas
with my son, I shall certainly get there in season for Christmas
before last. It is true that I spent that Christmas with my daughter,
but I cannot go on to her now. I am much nearer the city where my son
lives; and, besides, it is necessary to go back, and give the
merchants their money. So now we shall have plenty of time, and need
not feel hurried."

"No," said Baragat, heaving a vast sigh, "we need not feel hurried."

The mind of the eldest boy now became very much troubled, and he
called his companions about him. "I don't like at all," said he,
"this sailing to the north. It is now November, and, although it is
warm enough at this season in the southern part of the sea, it will
become colder and colder as we go on. The consequence of this will be
that those corsairs will want winter clothes, they will take them out
of the Captain's chests, and they will find our fruit."

The boys groaned. "That is true," said one of them; "but still we
wish to go back to our island."

"Of course," said the eldest boy, "it is quite proper that we should
return to Long Division. But think of the hard work we did to get
that fruit, and think of the quarts of gold we gave up for it! It
would be too bad to lose it now!"

It was unanimously agreed that it would be too bad to lose the fruit,
and it was also unanimously agreed that they wished to go back to
Apple Island. But what to do about it, they did not know.

Day by day the weather grew colder and colder, and the