254 THE BOY CAPTAIN.

«But are you seriously thinking of continuing the voy-
age?” Miss Dunham asked, in alarm.

«“T am,” Ben replied, more decidedly than she had ever
heard him speak to her before.

« Short of water?”

«We shall be able to catch some. Thirty-six hours
won't go by without showers, and some spare canvas
slung amidships would soon catch enough to fill every
cask on board.

“But you have only four men.”

«Counting you and myself, we are six.”

“Could you expect to reach port with that number?”

“T shall have to try, even if we stay around here two
or three days working into Ascension, for the harbour-
master was positive there were no sailors to be had
there. Counting the time it would take us to come to an
anchorage, saying nothing of the great amount of labour
necessary, we shall be five days nearer New York by filling
away on the true course now, and, after all, could gain, by
stopping, only the water which I am positive we shall get
from the heavens before the stock is seriously reduced.
You must remember there are now four mouths the less
to drink it.”

Miss Dunham was silent.

To her it seemed almost foolhardy to continue the voy-
age under such circumstances, and while she could advise
when he asked her opinion, she did not think it proper,
whatever their relations might be, to say the slightest
word in opposition to his announced intention.