LAND AT LAST. I49

order to ventilate the ship, and the outer air was allowed again to penetrate not only the hold, but the cabin and crew's quarters. The wet sails were hung out to dry, the deck was washed down, for Dick Sands was anxious not to bring hîs ship into port without havîng " finished her toilet," and he found that his crew could very well spare a few hours daily to get her into proper trim. Notwlthstanding the loss of the log, Dick had sufficient expérience to be able to make an approximate estimate of the schooner's progress, and after having pointed out to Mrs. Weldon what he imagined was the " Pilgrim's " true position, he told her that it was his fîrm impression that land would be sighted in little more than a week. "And upon what part of South America do you reckon we are lîkely to find ourselves ? " she asked.

• • That îs more than I dare venture to promise/' replied

Dick ; ** but I should think somewhere hereabouts." He was pointing on the chart to the long shore-line of Chili and Peru. They both examined the outspread chart with still doser attention. " Hère, you see/' resumed Dick, " hère is the island we hâve just left ; we left it in the west ; the wind has not shifted ; we must expect to come in sight of land, pretty nearly due east of it. The coast has plenty of harbours. From any one of them you will be able easily to get to San Francisco. You know, I dare say, that the Pacific Navigation Company's steamers touch at ail the principal ports. From any of them you will be sure to get direct passage to Calîfornîa. "But do you mean," asked Mrs. Weldon, "that you are not going yourself to take the schooner to San Francisco ? " " Not direct," replied the young captain ; " I want to see you safe on shore and satisfactorily on your homeward way. When that is done, I shall hope to get compétent officers to take the ship to Valparaiso, where she will discharge her cargo, as Captain Hull intended ; and after- wards I shall work our way back to San Francisco."