d of a mere squall, as I
supposed it was at first, has come before it was due by a few days; but it
proves that what you have read is entirely correct," said the commander.
"My two voyages in the Arabian Sea took me twenty degrees east of this
point, and therefore I had nothing but quiet water. But, Mr. Scott, you
have put an old navigator into the shade, and I commend you for the care
and skill with which you had prepared yourself for the voyage of the Maud
to Bengal."

"I protest that it was only an accident that I happened on that paragraph!"
exclaimed Scott, blushing under his browned face.

"You found what you were looking for, and that was no accident. I feel that
I have added an excellent young officer to the number of my officers,"
added Captain Ringgold.

"I thank you, sir, with all my heart; but may I ask one favor of you?"
inquired the third officer.

"Name it, and I will grant it if possible."

"I earnestly request that you do not mention this little matter to any
person on board of the ship."

The commander of the Guardian-Mother was an honest and just man, and he was
disposed to give credit to any one who deserved it, even at his own
expense, and he looked at the young officer in silence for some moments.
Then they argued the question for a time; but the captain finally granted
the new officer's request, praising him for his modesty, which was rather a
newly developed virtue in his character.

The steamer continued to roll violently when Louis assisted Miss Blanche
down the stairs to the main cabin. The dozen passengers who had not
gone on deck after luncheon were in excellent humor, for all of them
were experienced sailors by this time, and beyond the discomforts of
seasickness. All of them held the commander in such high respect and
regard, that not one of them mentioned the failure of his prediction of
fine weather for the next five or six days. Perhaps all of them wondered,
for the captain's predictions before had been almost invariably verified;
but not one of them spoke of his missing it in this instance.

The gale continued the rest of the day and during the night. When the
morning watch came on duty at four o'clock, Captain Ringgold was pacing the
promenade deck, peering through the darkness, and observing the huge waves
that occasionally washed the upper deck. He had not slept a wink during the
night, though he had reclined an hour on the divan in the pilot-house. He
was not alarmed for t