an for the last week
had been the case, and on the ship went hour after hour, the breeze
rather increasing than lessening.

"We are in the north-east trades," observed Mr Hooker. "Little fear
now, for another two weeks or so we shall have a fine run of it."

Three day after this, a seaman from aloft shouted out, "Land ahead!"

"Ay, ay," answered Mr Thudicumb, who had charge of the deck. "It is
land that will not hurt us, though;" and he continued to let the ship
run on in the course she had been steering.

Curious to know what had attracted the man's attention, I went aloft,
and there I saw spread out on the surface of the calm ocean, what looked
like a dark field, but little raised, however, above the water. On
returning on deck, I told the first officer that I really thought there
must be land ahead.

"No, Walter, no fear of that," answered Mr Thudicumb; "we are crossing
the Sargasso Sea. You will observe that it is merely sea-weed and
drift-wood collected in this spot from all parts of the ocean. The
currents and winds bring it, but why this place is selected I do not
exactly know. In a calm it might bother us, but we shall only pass
through a small portion of it, and there is wind enough to send us along
in spite of the obstruction it may offer. We must get a bucket ready,
for Mr Hooker will be anxious to have some of it up on deck, that he
may examine the creatures who live upon it. In the Pacific there is a
collection of the same sort, and people who could not otherwise for want
of fuel inhabit some of the islands in that region, are enabled to do so
in consequence of the supply of drift-wood it brings them."

The ship, soon clear of the Sargasso Sea, glided on proudly, with all
sail set below and aloft. The weather was delightful; the passengers
constantly on deck. Emily and Grace were very happy together, for
everything was new and interesting. They had plenty of employment; for
Mrs Davenport, knowing what a sea voyage is, had brought work of all
sorts. And then they had books; and they were not above running about
the deck, and playing at ball occasionally, and _Les Graces_, and other
games suitable for ship-board.

Thus day after day passed pleasantly by: the sea sparkling, the sky
bright, or occasionally mottled with light clouds. One morning,
however, when they came on deck expecting to see the blue sky above
their heads, they saw only a thick canopy of clouds. The sails were
flapping a