On the March

           Africa!Thatnamesoterribleunderthepresentcircumstances,thatnamewhichhemustnowsubstituteforthatofAmerica,wasnotforaninstantoutofDickSand’sthoughts.Whentheyoungnovicetracedbackthelastweeks,itwastoaskhimselfhowthe"Pilgrim"hadendedbyreachingthisdangerousshore,howithaddoubledCapeHorn,andpassedfromoneoceantotheother!Hecouldnowexplaintohimselfwhy,inspiteoftherapidmotionofhisvessel,landwassolongcominginsight,becausethelengthofthedistancewhichheshouldhavemadetoreachtheAmericancoasthadbeendoubledwithouthisknowledge.

           "Africa!Africa!"DickSandrepeated.

           Then,suddenly,whilehecalledupwithtenaciousmindalltheincidentsofthisinexplicablevoyage,hefeltthathiscompassmusthavebeeninjured.Heremembered,too,thatthefirstcompasshadbeenbroken,andthatthelog-linehadsnapped—afactwhichhadmadeitimpossibleforhimtoestablishthespeedofthe"Pilgrim."

           "Yes,"thoughthe,"thereremainedbutonecompassonboard,oneonly,theindicationsofwhichIcouldnotcontrol!AndonenightIwasawakenedbyacryfromoldTom.Negorowasthere,aft.Hehadjustfallenonthebinnacle.Mayhenothaveputitoutoforder?"

           DickSandwasgrowingenlightened.Hehadhisfingeronthetruth.HenowunderstoodallthatwasambiguousinNegoro’sconduct.Hesawhishandinthischainofincidentswhichhadledtothelossofthe"Pilgrim,"andhadsofearfullyendangeredthoseonboardofher.