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through the water at an eight…knot clip。 Captain Davenport worked up his
dead reckoning； allowing generously for drift； and announced Moerenhout
Island to be not more than ten miles off。 The Pyrenees sailed the ten miles；
she sailed ten miles more； and the lookouts at the three mastheads saw
naught but the naked； sun…washed sea。
〃But the land is there； I tell you；〃 Captain Davenport shouted to them
from the poop。
McCoy smiled soothingly； but the captain glared about him like a
madman； fetched his sextant； and took a chronometer sight。
〃I knew I was right； he almost shouted； when he had worked up the
observation。 〃Twenty…one； fifty…five； south； one…thirty…six； two； west。
There you are。 We're eight miles to windward yet。 What did you make it
out； Mr。 Konig？〃
The first mate glanced at his own figures； and said in a low voice：
〃Twenty…one； fifty…five all right； but my longitude's one…thirty…six；
forty…eight。 That puts us considerably to leeward〃
But Captain Davenport ignored his figures with so contemptuous a
silence as to make Mr。 Konig grit his teeth and curse savagely under his
breath。
〃Keep her off；〃 the captain ordered the man at the wheel。 〃Three
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pointssteady there； as she goes！〃
Then he returned to his figures and worked them over。 The sweat
poured from his face。 He chewed his mustache； his lips； and his pencil；
staring at the figures as a man might at a ghost。 Suddenly； with a fierce；
muscular outburst； he crumpled the scribbled paper in his fist and crushed
it under foot。 'mr。 Konig grinned vindictively and turned away； while
Captain Davenport leaned against the cabin and for half an hour spoke no
word； contenting himself with gazing to leeward with an expression of
musing hopelessness on his face。
〃Mr。 McCoy；〃 he broke silence abruptly。 〃The chart indicates a group
of islands； but not how many； off there to the north'ard； or nor'…
nor'westward； about forty milesthe Acteon Islands。 What about them？〃
〃There are four； all low；〃 McCoy answered。 〃First to the southeast is
Matueruino people； no entrance to the lagoon。 Then comes Tenarunga。
There used to be about a dozen people there； but they may be all gone now。
Anyway； there is no entrance for a shiponly a boat entrance； with a
fathom of water。 Vehauga and Teua…raro are the other two。 No entrances；
no people； very low。 There is no bed for the Pyrenees in that group。 She
would be a total wreck。〃
〃Listen to that！〃 Captain Davenport was frantic。 〃No people！ No
entrances！ What in the devil are islands good for？
〃Well； then； he barked suddenly； like an excited terrier； 〃the chart gives
a whole mess of islands off to the nor'west。 What about them？ What one
has an entrance where I can lay my ship？〃
McCoy calmly considered。 He did not refer to the chart。 All these
islands； reefs； shoals； lagoons； entrances； and distances were marked on
the chart of his memory。 He knew them as the city dweller knows his
buildings； streets； and alleys。
〃Papakena and Vanavana are off there to the westward； or west…
nor'westward a hundred miles and a bit more；〃 he said。 〃One is
uninhabited； and I heard that the people on the other had gone off to
Cadmus Island。 Anyway； neither lagoon has an entrance。 Ahunui is
another hundred miles on to the nor'west。 No entrance； no people。〃
〃Well； forty miles beyond them are two islands？〃 Captain Davenport
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queried； raising his head from the chart。
McCoy shook his head。
〃Paros and Manuhungino entrances； no people。 Nengo…Nengo is
forty miles beyond them； in turn； and it has no people and no entrance。 But
there is Hao Island。 It is just the place。 The lagoon is thirty miles long and
five miles wide。 There are plenty of people。 You can usually find water。
And any ship in the world can go through the entrance。〃
He ceased and gazed solicitously at Captain Davenport； who； bending
over the chart with a pair of dividers in hand； had just emitted a low groan。
〃Is there any lagoon with an entrance anywhere nearer than Hao
Island？〃 he asked。
〃No； Captain； that is the nearest。〃
〃Well； it's three hundred and forty miles。〃 Captain Davenport was
speaking very slowly； with decision。 〃I won't risk the responsibility of all
these lives。 I'll wreck her on the Acteons。 And she's a good ship； too；〃 he
added regretfully； after altering the course； this time making more
allowance than ever for the westerly current。
An hour later the sky was overcast。 The southeast trade still held； but
the ocean was a checker board of squalls。
〃We'll be there by one o'clock；〃 Captain Davenport announced
confidently。 〃By two o'clock at the outside。 'mcCoy； you put her ashore on
the one where the people are。〃
The sun did not appear again； nor； at one o'clock； was any land to be
seen。 Captain Davenport looked astern at the Pyrenees' canting wake。
〃Good Lord！〃 he cried。 〃An easterly current？ Look at that！〃
Mr。 Konig was incredulous。 'mcCoy was noncommittal； though he said
that in the Paumotus there was no reason why it should not be an easterly
current。 A few minutes later a squall robbed the Pyrenees temporarily of
all her wind； and she was left rolling heavily in the trough。
〃Where's that deep lead？ Over with it； you there！〃 Captain Davenport
held the lead line and watched it sag off to the northeast。 〃There； look at
that！ Take hold of it for yourself。〃
McCoy and the mate tried it； and felt the line thrumming and vibrating
savagely to the grip of the tidal stream。
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〃A four…knot current；〃 said Mr。 Konig。
〃An easterly current instead of a westerly；〃 said Captain 〃Davenport；
glaring accusingly at McCoy； as if to cast the blame for it upon him。
〃That is one of the reasons； Captain； for insurance being eighteen per
cent in these waters；〃 McCoy answered cheerfully。 〃You can never tell。
The currents are always changing。 There was a man who wrote books； I
forget his name； in the yacht Casco。
He missed Takaroa by thirty miles and fetched Tikei； all because of the
shifting currents。 You are up to windward now； and you'd better keep off a
few points。〃
〃But how much has this current set me？〃 the captain demanded irately。
〃How am I to know how much to keep off？〃
〃I don't know； Captain；〃 McCoy said with great gentleness。
The wind returned； and the PYRENEES； her deck smoking and
shimmering in the bright gray light； ran off dead to leeward。 Then she
worked back； port tack and starboard tack； crisscrossing her track；
combing the sea for the Acteon Islands； which the masthead lookouts
failed to sight。
Captain Davenport was beside himself。 His rage took the form of
sullen silence； and he spent the afternoon in pacing the poop or leaning
against the weather shrouds。 At nightfall； without even consulting McCoy；
he squared away and headed into the northwest。 Mr。 Konig；
surreptitiously consulting chart and binnacle； and McCoy； openly and
innocently consulting the binnacle； knew that they were running for Hao
Island。 By midnight the squalls ceased； and the stars came out。 Captain
Davenport was cheered by the promise of a clear day。
〃I'll get an observation in the morning；〃 he told McCoy； 〃though what
my latitude is； is a puzzler。 But I'll use the Sumner method； and settle that。
Do you know the Sumner line？〃
And thereupon he explained it in detail to McCoy。
The day proved clear； the trade blew steadily out of the east； and the
Pyrenees just as steadily logged her nine knots。 Both the captain and mate
worked out the position on a Sumner line； and agreed； and at noon agreed
again； and ver