He says there is a Jonah on board and that we're going to have hard
luck all through the voyage."

"Sounds just like Sam," laughed the captain. "Who did he say the Jonah
is?"

"Petersen, the man who went up the mast with Fred."

"Because he's a Finn?" asked Captain Dodge.

"Yes," said Grant. "What's the matter with Finns anyway?"

"Why," said Captain Dodge, "there's an old superstition among sailors
that they bring bad luck. I had almost forgotten it, but as soon as you
said that Sam suspected Petersen I remembered that he is a Finn and that
Sam would probably believe in the old story."

"I hope it's not true," said John Clemens.

"I guess we needn't worry about it," said the captain, smiling. "It
doesn't bother me any but if you boys want to go ashore it isn't too
late yet."

"We don't feel as bad about it as that," laughed Grant. "I guess we'll
risk it."

"I'm all right anyway," exclaimed Pop Sanders. "I've got my compass."

"What do you think of him, captain?" exclaimed John. "He always carries
a compass on a string around his neck."

"That's all right," said Captain Dodge. "In case he is shipwrecked he
can tell in which direction he is going anyway. Not that that knowledge
would do him very much good."

"And my diary," added Pop. "Don't forget that. I always carry a diary in
my hip pocket with a little pencil in it so that I can jot things down
just as soon as they happen or rather when I think to do it. You see
when you have it with you you are more apt to keep it up to date."

"A good idea," said the captain warmly. "I see that you are a very
methodical young man and probably I shall get you to keep the log for
me."

"I guess you wouldn't want me to do that," laughed Pop. "I'm afraid it
wouldn't be done very well."

All day long the boys lolled about on the deck. Fred had joined his
companions and the four friends discussed what they should do when they
arrived at Buenos Aires, the beautiful South American city of which they
had heard so much. They talked of a sailor's life and all its hardships
and its pleasures. Like everything else it is a mixture of good and bad
and too much of either is harmful anyway.

After supper that evening the wind died down. The water became almost as
quiet as a mill pond and more than one of the four friends whispered to
his comrades that the Finn was at the bottom of it all. George Sanders
mentioned this to Captain Dodge in a joking way but the captain only
laugh