to conceal after the name of his port became known, the young man, in fact, had so far made himself master of the subject, as to have tolerably accurate notions of the courses, distances, and general peculiarities of the reef.  When the sun went down, he supposed himself to be about half-way across the space of open water, and some five-and-twenty miles dead to windward of his port of departure.  This was doing very well for the circumstances, and Mulford believed himself and his companions clear of spike, when, as night drew its veil over the tranquil sea, nothing was in sight.

A very judicious arrangement was made for the watches on board the Mexican schooner, on this important night.  Mrs. Budd had a great fancy to keep a watch, for once in her life, and, after the party had supped, and the subject came up in the natural course of things, a dialogue like this occurred: 

“Harry must be fatigued,” said Rose, kindly, “and must want sleep.  The wind is so light, and the weather appears to be so settled, that I think it would be better for him to `turn in,’ as he calls it;”—­here Rose laughed so prettily that the handsome mate wished she would repeat the words,—­“better that he should `turn in’ now, and we can call him, should there be need of his advice or assistance.  I dare say Jack Tier and I can take very good care of the schooner until daylight.”

Mrs. Budd thought it would be no more than proper for one of her experience and years to rebuke this levity, as well as to enlighten the ignorance her niece had betrayed.

“You should be cautious, my child, how you propose anything to be done on a ship’s board,” observed the aunt.  “It requires great experience and a suitable knowledge of rigging to give maritime advice.  Now, as might have been expected, considering your years, and the short time you have been at sea, you have made several serious mistakes in what you have proposed.  In the first place, there should always be a mate on the deck, as I have heard your dear departed uncle say, again and again; and how can there be a mate on the deck if Mr. Mulford `turns in,’ as you propose, seeing that he’s the only mate we have.  Then you should never laugh at any maritime expression, for each and all are, as a body might say, solemnized by storms and dangers.  That Harry is fatigued I think is very probable; and he must set our watches, as they call it, when he can make his arrangements for the night, and take his rest as is usual.  Here is my watch to begin with; and I’ll engage he does not find it two minutes out of the way, though yours, Rosy dear, like most girl’s time-pieces, is, I’ll venture to say, dreadfully wrong.  Where is your chronometer, Mr. Mulford? let us see how this excellent watch of mine, which was once my poor departed Mr. Budd’s, will agree with that piece of your’s, which I have heard you say is excellent.”