A Wager and How Decided

           ONthe7thofDecember,atthreeA.M.,theDuncanlaypuffingouthersmokeinthelittleharborreadytostart,andafewminutesafterwardtheanchorwaslifted,andthescrewsetinmotion.Byeighto’clock,whenthepassengerscameondeck,theAmsterdamIslandhadalmostdisappearedfromviewbehindthemistsofthehorizon.Thiswasthelasthalting-placeontheroute,andnothingnowwasbetweenthemandtheAustraliancoastbutthreethousandmiles’distance.Shouldthewestwindcontinuebutadozendayslonger,andthesearemainfavorable,theyachtwouldhavereachedtheendofhervoyage.

           MaryGrantandherbrothercouldnotgazewithoutemotionatthewavesthroughwhichtheDuncanwasspeedinghercourse,whentheythoughtthattheseverysamewavesmusthavedashedagainsttheprowoftheBritanniabutafewdaysbeforehershipwreck.Here,perhaps,CaptainGrant,withadisabledshipanddiminishedcrew,hadstruggledagainstthetremendoushurricanesoftheIndianOcean,andfelthimselfdriventowardthecoastwithirresistibleforce.TheCaptainpointedouttoMarythedifferentcurrentsontheship’schart,andexplainedtohertheirconstantdirection.AmongotherstherewasonerunningstraighttotheAustraliancontinent,anditsactionisequallyfeltintheAtlanticandPacific.ItwasdoubtlessagainstthisthattheBritannia,dismastedandrudderless,hadbeenunabletocontend,andconsequentlybeendashedagainstthecoast,andbrokeninpieces.

           Adifficultyaboutthis,however,presenteditself.