The wind and sea diminished rapidly. The sun rose out of the waste to the east, and the last of the foul weather fled before it. In an hour or so he ventured to hoist the mainsail. The sloop bore it well, and under it made swift progress toward the southwest. Sooner or later, he knew he must sight land in that direction. Indeed, it was not yet ten o'clock when a remote gray line took shape off the starboard bow. He could not repress a shout of joy: "Land! Land ho! Land!" In a moment the cabin-hatch was opened wide enough to let a sleepy voice be heard. "Did you call me, Bob White?" "I didn't mean to wake you, child, but land's in sight." "Land? Oh, that's good! But I must have been sleeping for hours. You oughtn't to have let me be so selfish." "Not at all. You can do your trick at the wheel whenever you're ready, and I'll turn in a while." "I'll be out in ten minutes--no, twenty, for I'm going to get breakfast for you." "Breakfast!" "Certainly. Do you think you can drink a cup of hot coffee?" "Jupiter Pluvius! Hot coffee? Alas, I must be mad." "You'll see," she laughed. "In twenty minutes." Indeed, it was not long before she again appeared. "I've just come to say good-morning." "Did you sleep well?" "De-li-ciously. I can only stay a minute--breakfast is cooking. You poor man, you're still in your wet clothes, while I'm as dry as toast." Her garments, down to her very shoes, spread since dawn on the racks above the range, were dry and even smoothed. Only the scarlet sash and handkerchief were missing--the salt water had ruined them. The braid of shining hair no longer hung down her back, but now encircled her head in heavy coils, a new and charming arrangement. He was vaguely conscious that it made her look strangely mature, and endowed her with a mysterious dignity. "I haven't been really wet for some time," he assured her. "If you'll take charge, I'll have a look at the chart in the locker here. Perhaps we can tell where we are." "I'm not at all sure," he announced after a brief study, "but I think we aren't so far down as Hatteras--the wind fell away very rapidly toward the last. That may be the North Carolina coast, though--Currituck Island, perhaps. You know the sounds run Currituck, Albemarle, and Pamlico." "I know the coffee must be boiled and the ham broiled by this time. Take the wheel and let the cook attend to her duties." She flatly refused to touch any breakfast until he had eaten his fill and waited upon him in spite of his protests. Never had broiled ham, hard crackers, and marmalade tasted so good. And the strong, hot coffee warmed his very soul. "You wonder!" he said, as he presented the tin cup for more. "Where did you get this gorgeous dinner-set?" "I found it among the pots and pans in the galley. There's quite an assortment your predecessor left." "Oh, that coffee! You miracle of a child!" Her eyes sparkled as she watched him swallow a second cup. "What do you think of the cook?"