in about the same course. I took our
position every morning with my crude sextant; but the results were
always most unsatisfactory. They always showed a considerable westing
when I knew that we had been sailing due north. I blamed my crude
instrument, and kept on. Then one afternoon the girl came to me.

"Pardon me," she said, "but were I you, I should watch this man
Benson--especially when he is in charge." I asked her what she meant,
thinking I could see the influence of von Schoenvorts raising a
suspicion against one of my most trusted men.

"If you will note the boat's course a half-hour after Benson goes on
duty," she said, "you will know what I mean, and you will understand
why he prefers a night watch. Possibly, too, you will understand some
other things that have taken place aboard."

Then she went back to her room, thus ending the conversation. I waited
until half an hour after Benson had gone on duty, and then I went on
deck, passing through the conning-tower where Benson sat, and looking
at the compass. It showed that our course was north by west--that is,
one point west of north, which was, for our assumed position, about
right. I was greatly relieved to find that nothing was wrong, for the
girl's words had caused me considerable apprehension. I was about to
return to my room when a thought occurred to me that again caused me to
change my mind--and, incidentally, came near proving my death-warrant.

When I had left the conning-tower little more than a half-hour since,
the sea had been breaking over the port bow, and it seemed to me quite
improbable that in so short a time an equally heavy sea could be
deluging us from the opposite side of the ship--winds may change
quickly, but not a long, heavy sea. There was only one other
solution--since I left the tower, our course had been altered some
eight points. Turning quickly, I climbed out upon the conning-tower.
A single glance at the heavens confirmed my suspicions; the
constellations which should have been dead ahead were directly
starboard. We were sailing due west.

Just for an instant longer I stood there to check up my calculations--I
wanted to be quite sure before I accused Benson of perfidy, and about
the only thing I came near making quite sure of was death. I cannot
see even now how I escaped it. I was standing on the edge of the
conning-tower, when a heavy palm suddenly struck me between the
shoulders and hurled me forward into space.