," assented Williams sharply. "The
question is, where ought we to look for it? Of course you understand it
must be a place quite out of the regular track of ships, and not likely
to be visited."

"In that case," said Ned, "I know of no better place to search than our
present neighbourhood. You see that the sea all round the spot where we
now are is marked `Unknown,' which means, of course, that very few ships
navigate these waters, and I fancy that such can scarcely be said of
many other parts of the ocean except such as lie pretty close to the
North and South Poles."

"Very well," said Williams, "in this matter we must trust to you, and we
will therefore search this `unknown' part of the sea. You know best how
it should be done, so give your orders, and I will see that they are
carried out."

"In that case," said Ned, "my advice is this. The wind is still
westerly, and a favourable opportunity is therefore afforded for the
prosecution of our search to the eastward. Now, from our main-royal-
yard a man can see very nearly twenty miles--far enough, at all events,
to make out any land at that distance suitable for your purpose. I
would propose, then, that we should work a traverse to the eastward,
sailing, say, one hundred miles on north by east a half east course, and
then wearing round and sailing two hundred miles on a south by east a
half east course. This will enable us to examine a strip of sea two
hundred miles wide, whilst our northerly and southerly tracks will never
be so far apart but what we _must_ sight any land which happens to lie
within that two-hundred-mile-wide belt. I would continue the search for
say two hundred or two hundred and fifty miles to the eastward; and
then, if you fail to find what you want, we must return and begin a
systematic search to the westward, unless indeed you feel inclined to
take the risk of venturing into better known waters. At night I would
heave the ship to, with her canvas so balanced that she will make no
headway; and in this way, I think, we may manage to pretty thoroughly
explore the proposed track."

"Yes," said Williams thoughtfully, "that seems a very good plan. What
do _you_ think of it, Rogers?"

"Capital!" observed Rogers approvingly; "couldn't be better. If there's
any islands about we're bound to find 'em that way."

The man spoke in a tone of such thorough conviction that Williams turned
and scrutinised his face, as though wondering whether, p