n the morning, as
soon as we are within sight of land--"

"What land?"

"Any land on or off the coast, I shall be obliged by your getting my
boat over the side, and the stores and chests out of the hold and cabin,
so that we can get everything stowed away, then you can take us in tow,
and I can cast off as soon as I like."

"All right," said the captain, and he went forward once more, while we
two stayed on deck watching the wonderful sunset, till the great golden
orange ball dipped down out of sight behind the clouds, which looked
like ranges of mountains rising from some glorious shore.

We were not long afterwards made aware of the captain's reason for going
forward, his voice rising in angry bullying tones, and we soon found
that he and the fierce carpenter were engaged in a furious quarrel,
which ended as quickly as it began, the captain making his reappearance,
driving the ship's boy before him, and hastening the poor fellow's
sluggish, unwilling movements by now and then giving him a kick.

CHAPTER TWO.

OUR START.

My sleep was disturbed that night by dreams of sea cows as big as
elephants, orange-coloured birds in huge flocks, and golden-green
quetzals flying round my head, with their yard-long tails spread out,
and their scarlet breasts gleaming in the sunshine which flashed through
my cabin window.

I was puzzling myself as to how the beautiful birds could be out there
at sea, and why it was that Uncle Dick and I could be walking about at
the same time among golden mountains, which were, I felt sure, only last
evening's sunset clouds, when all at once it was quite clear, for Uncle
Dick cried:

"Now then, Nat, my boy, tumble out, tumble out. The sun's up, and we've
no end to do. The men are at work already."

I was awake then, and after hurriedly dressing, I went on deck, to find
out that the noises I had been hearing were caused by the men making
fast some tackle to our boat, ropes being passed through a pulley block
at the end of a swinging boom, and when they were ready the mate gave
orders. Then the men began to haul, and as the ropes tightened the
heavy boat was lifted out of the chocks in which she lay, and with a
good deal of creaking was swung out over the bulwarks quite clear of the
steamer's side, and then lowered down with her bows much lower than the
stern, so that it looked as if the boat we had trusted to for taking us
many a long journey was about to dive down under the sea.