In the latter case more efficient work could be
obtained; but in the former, in case one of them should suddenly leave,
or go away for a day out, the other could do all the work. It was very
pleasant to Mrs. Block to sit in a comfortable arm-chair and gaze thus
into the future. Sometimes she looked up into the water above, and
sometimes out into the water ahead, but she could see nothing. But in
the alluring expanse of her fancied future she could see anything which
she chose to put there.

Sammy, however, did not increase in flesh; in fact, he grew thinner.
Nothing important in regard to the Pole, Rovinski, had occurred, but of
course something would occur; otherwise why did the Pole come on board
the Dipsey? Endless conjectures as to what Rovinski would do when he did
anything, and when he would begin to do it, kept the good Samuel awake
during many hours when he should have been soundly sleeping. He had said
nothing yet to Mr. Gibbs in regard to the matter. Every day he made a
report to Roland Clewe about Rovinski, but Clewe's instructions were
that so long as the Pole behaved himself properly there was no reason to
trouble the minds of the party on board with fears of rascality on
his part. They had enough to occupy their minds without any disturbing
influence of that sort.

Clewe's own opinion on the subject was that Rovinski could do nothing
but act as a spy, and afterwards make dishonest use of the knowledge he
should acquire; but the man had put himself into Clewe's power, and
he could not possibly get away from him until he should return to Cape
Tariff, and even there it would be difficult. The proper and only thing
to do was to keep him in custody as long as possible. When he should be
brought back to a region of law and justice, it might be that the Pole
could be prevented, for a time, at least, from using the results of his
knavish observations.

There was another person on board whose mind was disturbed by Rovinski.
This was Mr. Marcy, the Assistant Engineer, an active, energetic fellow,
filled with ambition and love of adventure, and one of the most hopeful
and cheerful persons on board. He had never heard of Rovinski, and did
not know that there was anybody in the world who was trying to
benefit himself by fraudulent knowledge of Mr. Clewe's discoveries and
inventions, but he hated the Pole on his own account.

The man's countenance was so villainous that it was enough of itself to
arouse the dislike