"You may jump overboard any time you see fit," said the skipper of the
craft. "I don't need you any longer for bailing!"
"If that's the way you feel about it, you won't get rid of me so easy,"
declared the cook, malevolence in his single eye.
Mayo noticed, with some surprise, that after the two had exchanged a few
words there was silence between Bradish and the girl. The New-Yorker was
pale and trembling, and his jaw still sagged, and he threw glances to
right and left as the surges galloped under them. He was plainly and
wholly occupied with his fears.
When day came at last without rain, but with heavy skies, in which
masses of vapor dragged, Mayo began eager search of the sea. He had
no way of determining their whereabouts; he hoped they were far enough
off-shore to be in the track of traffic. However, he could see no sail,
no encouraging trail of smoke. But after a time he did behold something
which was not encouraging. He stood up and balanced himself and gazed
westward, in the direction in which they were drifting; every now and
then a lifting wave enabled him to command a wide expanse of the sea.
He saw a white ribbon of foam that stretched its way north and south
into the obscurity of the mists. He did not report this finding at once.
He looked at his companions and pondered.
"I think you have something to say to me," suggested the girl.
"I suppose I ought to say it. I've been wondering just how it ought to
be said. It's not pleasant news."
"I am prepared to hear anything, Captain Mayo. Nothing matters a great
deal just now."
"We are being driven on to the coast. I don't know whether it's the
Delaware or the New Jersey coast. It doesn't make much difference. The
breakers are just as bad in one place as in the other."
"Why don't you anchor this boat? Are you going to let it go ashore and
be wrecked?" asked Bradish, with anger that was childish.
"The anchor seems to have been overlooked when we started on this little
excursion. As I remember it, there was some hurry and bustle," returned
Mayo, dryly.
"Why didn't you remember it? You got us into this scrape. You slammed
and bossed everybody around. You didn't give anybody else a chance to
think. You call yourself a sailor! You're a devil of a sailor to come
off without an anchor."