depended upon.

The captain had hoped for favorable breezes following the heavy storm,
but these did not come, and day after day passed with the old _Columbia_
making slow progress toward Nagasaki. Formosa was passed during a bit of
thick weather, so that nothing was seen of that island. Then the sun
came out again, hotter than ever, so that Larry was glad to keep in the
shade as much as possible.

"It's not so exciting as it was a few days ago," remarked Luke to Larry
one day, when both were seated in the shade of the forecastle.

"I am glad that mutiny is at an end," answered Larry. "It's a great
wonder that somebody wasn't killed or seriously wounded."

"The men didn't have their hearts in the rumpus, thet's why, Larry. If
they had really meant business--well, I reckon some of us wouldn't be
here now to tell the tale."

"I think Semmel meant business."

"Yes, he's a heap sight worse nor any o' the others."

"It was a mistake to take him on board. I tell you, a captain can't be
too careful who he puts in his forecastle."

"Well, you know the reason--those other hands gettin' sick at Manila.
But I can tell you, I'd rather have a crew of Americans any day."

"They are hard to get."

"True fer you." The old Yankee tar heaved a sigh. "The old days are
gone, sure enough. My! my! what times we used to have, when we'd go out,
every man a-knowin' every other man on the ship, an' all about him, too!
Then it was like a big family settin' sail. Now, if you go on a new ship
ye don't know nobody an' nobody knows nobody else."

"I guess you expect to live and die a sailor, don't you, Luke?"

"Don't know but what I do, unless somebody leaves me money enough to
live like a millionaire," and the old tar grinned.

Day after day passed and the _Columbia_ kept on her course, making as
straight a passage for Nagasaki as possible. One day there would be a
fair breeze and the next a dead calm.

"This is unusual weather for this quarter of the globe," said Captain
Ponsberry to Larry. "Like as not it will end in another hurricane."

"In that case what will you do, release Semmel and the others?"

"I may release Peterson and Shamhaven, but not Semmel, for he was the
real ringleader."

There were strong signs of a storm in the air that night, but they
brought forth nothing, and on the following morning the sun came up as
full and bright as before. The breeze came by fits and starts, from
first one direction and then another