GideonSpilettwasstandingmotionlessontheshore,hisarmscrossed,gazingoverthesea,thehorizonofwhichwaslosttowardstheeastinathickblackcloudwhichwasspreadingrapidlytowardsthezenith.Thewindwasalreadystrong,andincreasedwiththedeclineofday.Thewholeskywasofathreateningaspect,andthefirstsymptomsofaviolentstormwereclearlyvisible.

           HerbertenteredtheChimneys,andPencroftwenttowardsthereporter.Thelatter,deeplyabsorbed,didnotseehimapproach.

           "Wearegoingtohaveadirtynight,Mr.Spilett!"saidthesailor:"Petrelsdelightinwindandrain."

           Thereporter,turningatthemoment,sawPencroft,andhisfirstwordswere,—

           "Atwhatdistancefromthecoastwouldyousaythecarwas,whenthewavescarriedoffourcompanion?"

           Thesailorhadnotexpectedthisquestion.Hereflectedaninstantandreplied,—

           "Twocableslengthsatthemost."

           "Butwhatisacable’slength?"askedGideonSpilett.

           "Aboutahundredandtwentyfathoms,orsixhundredfeet."

           "Then,"saidthereporter,"CyrusHardingmusthavedisappearedtwelvehundredfeetatthemostfromtheshore?"

           "Aboutthat,"repliedPencroft.