94 THE BOY CAPTAIN.

supper, and the Chinamen lounged around on the deck,
apparently well content with the situation, as they cer-
tainly must have been if they contrasted it with that of
their comrades who had participated in the attack.

Had Ben been able to arrange matters as he thought

)

they should be, his “mate” would have retired to her
room, for he felt certain she must be in need of rest;
but when he attempted once more to induce her to go
below, his proposition was met by such a decided refusal
that he was forced to desist, although he insisted on
handling the wheel himself during the hours of. the
evening.

She brought her lounging chair from the cabin, and,
sitting by his side, opened a conversation by referring
to the compass, much as if wishing to banish from her
mind all memory of the immediate past.

“What would sailors do without a true friend like
that,’”’ she said, pointing to the binnacle.

“JT reckon they’d have to stay at home, for I can’t
fancy how a mariner could get along without his compass ;
but I don’t give it any great credit for being true. The
deviations of the needle have brought many a good ship
to the reefs.”

«That would not happen if it was often corrected.”

“ Merchant sailors don’t have time to ‘swing’ a ship as
do those in the navy.”

“No, and yet they might do so oftener. I wonder
when compasses were invented ?”’

“That has interested me a good bit,’ Ben replied.