ed in the midst of purple tinged
clouds, leaving along the horizon at first a fringe of gold, then a
simple thread, and finally nothing but the reflection of his rays,
sent to the earth by the layers of atmosphere,[B] like the adieu we
receive at the turning of a road from a friend who is leaving us.

There was a festival in the sky that night; the firmament brought out,
one by one, her circlet of diamonds, till the whole were sparkling
like a blaze of light; the pinnace also left a fiery train in her
wake, caused partly by electricity and partly by the phosphorescent
animalculae that people the ocean.

"Willis," said Becker, "I leave it entirely to you to decide the
instant of our return."

The Pilot changed at once the course of the boat, without attempting
to utter a word, so heavy was his heart at this unsuccessful
termination of the expedition.

"It will be curious," observed Fritz, "if we find the _Nelson_, on our
return, snugly at anchor in Safety Bay."

"I have a presentiment," said Jack; "and you will see that we have
been playing at hide-and-seek with the _Nelson_."

Willis shook his head.

"Are there not a thousand accidents to cause a ship to deviate from
her route?"

"Yes, Master Ernest, there are typhoons, and the waterspouts of which
I spoke to you before. In such cases, ships often deviate from their
route, but generally by going to the bottom."

Willis concluded this sentence with a gesture that defies description,
implying annihilation.

"Remember Admiral Socrates, Willis," said Jack; "_what I know best is,
that I know nothing_, and avow that God has other means of
accomplishing his decrees besides typhoons and waterspouts."

"My excellent young friends, I know you want to inspire me with hope,
as they give a toy to a child to keep it from crying, and I thank you
for your good intentions. Now, for three days you have, so to speak,
had no rest, and I insist on your profiting by this night to take some
repose; and you also, Mr. Becker; I am quite able to manage the
pinnace alone."

"Yes providing you do not play us some trick, like that of this
morning, for instance."

"All stratagems are justifiable in war. Master Ernest had fair warning
that I had an idea to work out. Besides, a prisoner, when under
hatches, has the right to escape if he can: under parole, the case is
quite different."

"Well, Willis, if you give me your simple promise to steer straight
for New Switzerland, and awak