tudying a chart, which he could
see included the island of Cyprus. He took no notice of them as they
descended the ladder, and they went to the standing-room without
stopping on the forecastle. Morris led the way; for he seemed to be
impatient to ascertain whether or not he was right in relation to the
course of the steamer.

"There you are!" he exclaimed as he looked at the face of the compass.
"The Maud is headed to the north north-east half east; and that is not
the course Captain Scott gave out when Flix took the helm."

"But it is not a great change," added Louis.

"Just now it is not; but in making two hundred miles to the northward it
would take the Maud to a point about forty miles to the westward of
where she would have brought up on her former course," Morris
explained.

"I understand your point; but what does it mean?"

"It means that we are going to a place forty miles west of the one we
started for."

"I don't understand it; and Captain Scott is just as tenacious in
keeping his own counsels as the commander of the Guardian-Mother
himself," replied Louis.

"But you have as much influence with him as the commander."

"And for that reason I will not ask him any questions in regard to the
sailing of the Maud."

Morris was not ready to ask him to call the captain to an account; and,
leaving him in the standing-room, he went into the cabin. Louis was not
willing to believe, or even to accept a suggestion that Scott had any
ulterior purpose in his mind; for it seemed very much like treason to
harbor such a thought of his friend. The only thing that gave him a hint
in that direction was the fact he had expressed that Louis ought not to
be on board of the Maud during her present mission.

If the little steamer was not to engage in some perilous adventure, why
should Scott wish he were somewhere else? But the captain was certainly
solicitous for one of those whose safety was threatened; and he tried to
believe that this was a sufficient explanation. While he was thinking of
the matter, Morris rushed out of the cabin, and looked and acted as
though he were laboring under some excitement.

"What is the matter now, Morris?" he asked.

"Matter enough!" replied the first officer. "The barometer has made a
considerable slump since I looked at it the last time."

"And that means bad weather, I suppose," added Louis, who very rarely
became excited when a young fellow would be expected to be in such a
conditi