П’ятнадцятирічний капітан

The Four Days which Follow

           Theothercompasswasaninvertedone,fixedtothebarsofthecabinwhichCaptainHullformerlyoccupied.Bythatmeans,withoutleavinghischamber,hecouldalwaysknowiftheroutegivenwasexactlyfollowed,ifthemanatthehelm,fromignoranceornegligence,allowedtheshiptomaketoogreatlurches.

           Besides,thereisnoshipemployedinlongvoyageswhichdoesnotpossessatleasttwocompasses,asshehastwochronometers.Itisnecessarytocomparetheseinstrumentswitheachother,and,consequently,controltheirindications.

           The"Pilgrim"wasthensufficientlyprovidedforinthatrespect,andDickSandchargedhismentotakethegreatestcareofthetwocompasses,whichweresonecessarytohim.

           Now,unfortunately,duringthenightofthe12thtothe13thofFebruary,whilethenovicewasonwatch,andholdingthewheelofthehelm,asadaccidenttookplace.Theinvertedcompass,whichwasfastenedbyacopperferuletothewoodworkofthecabin,brokeoffandfellonthefloor.Itwasnotseentillthenextday.

           Howhadtheferulecometobreak.Itwasinexplicableenough.Itwaspossible,however,thatitwasoxydized,andthatthepitchingandrollinghadbrokenitfromthewoodwork.Now,indeed,theseahadbeenrougherduringthenight.Howeveritwas,thecompasswasbrokeninsuchamannerthatitcouldnotberepaired.

           DickSandwasmuchthwarted.Henceforthhewasreducedtotrustsolelytothecompassinthebinnacle.Veryevidentlynoonewasresponsibleforthebreakingofthesecondcompass,butitmighthavesadconsequences.

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