looked in the direction indicated by the seaman, but could
distinguish nothing.

"Are you sure, Martin?" asked he. "Because I fancied that I, too, saw a
peculiar movement among the trees over in that direction a little time
ago."

"Yes, I be sartin sure, master," replied Martin. "I only see'd it for a
minute, 'tis true, but there warn't no mistake about it; and it seemed
to me to be very like the glitter of steel."

Roger was much puzzled, and also somewhat perturbed; he therefore
determined to inform the captain of what he and Martin had observed,
immediately upon his return to the ship, but to say nothing to the men
until the work on shore was finished, for fear of distracting their
attention from the task in hand.

This was soon completed, and Roger, calling the men together, got them
into the boats and they pulled back to the ships, leaving the party of
men from the _Tiger_ upon their own vessel, and taking his own crew on
board the flag-ship.

He then sought out the captain, and found him seated in his cabin
working out some observations. The lad duly reported that the work he
had been sent to execute was completed satisfactorily.

"Very good, Roger; very good indeed!" replied the captain. "I will come
on deck presently and see how the tide serves; and if it is suitable we
will haul in at once. For I am anxious to get these repairs effected as
soon as possible, and the sooner we start the sooner we shall be
finished. By the way, Roger," he continued, "as you know, we are
somewhere on the eastern coast of the Spanish island of Cuba; and while
you were ashore with the men just now I have been busy working out our
exact position on the chart."

Cavendish here pointed to a chart which he had open on a table before
him, together with a pair of compasses and a ruler.

"Here we are, you see," resumed the captain, pointing to a spot on the
chart. "Here is the island of Cuba, and here"--pointing to a little
indentation in the coast-line--"are we in latitude 20 north, and
longitude 75 west.

"Now you had better remember that bearing, my boy, in case you should
ever wish to return here when you get command of a ship of your own. We
sailors would call this bearing `20 north, 75 west', leaving out the
word degrees. You, Roger, if you will take my advice, my lad, and your
friend Harry as well for that matter, will start in as soon as you can
and thoroughly perfect yourselves in the science of navigation, for