“My poor, dear Mr. Budd used to tell a story of his being cast away on a light-house, in the East Indies,” put in the relict, as soon as the mate had ended his report, “which always affected me. It seems there were three ships of them together, in an awful tempest directly off the land—” “That was comfortable any how,” cried Spike;—“if it must blow hard, let it come off the land, say I.” “Yes, sir, it was directly off the land, as my poor husband always said, which made it so much the worse you must know, Rosy, though Capt. Spike’s gallant spirit would rather encounter danger than not. It blew what they call a Hyson, in the Chinese seas—” “A what, aunty?—Hyson is the name of a tea, you know.” “A Hyson, I’m pretty sure it was, and I suppose the wind is named after the tea, or the tea after the wind.” “The ladies do get in a gale, sometimes, over their tea,” said Spike gallantly. “But I rather think Madam Budd must mean a Typhoon.” “That’s it—a Typhoon, or a Hyson—there is not much difference between them, you see. Well, it blew a Typhoon, and they are always mortal to somebody. This my poor Mr. Budd well knew, and he had set his chronometer for that Typhoon—” “Excuse me aunty, it was the barometer that he was watching—the chronometer was his watch.” “So it was—his watch on deck _was_ his chronometer, I declare. I _am_ forgetting a part of my education. Do you know the use of a chronometer, now, Rose? You have seen your uncle’s often, but do you know how he used it?” “Not in the least, aunty. My uncle often tried to explain it, but I never could understand him.” “It must have been, then, because Capt. Budd did not try to make himself comprehended,” said Mulford, “for I feel certain nothing would be easier than to make _you_ understand the uses of the chronometer.” “I should like to learn it from _you_, Mr. Mulford,” answered the charming girl, with an emphasis so slight on the ‘you,’ that no one observed it but the mate, but which was clear enough to him, and caused every nerve to thrill. “I can attempt it,” answered the young man, “if it be agreeable to Mrs. Budd, who would probably like to hear it, herself.” “Certainly, Mr. Mulford, though I fancy you can say little on such a subject, that I have not often heard, already, from my poor, dear, Mr. Budd.” This was not very encouraging, truly, but Rose continuing to look interested, the mate proceeded. “The use of the chronometer is to ascertain the longitude,” said Harry, “and the manner of doing it, is simply this: A chronometer is nothing more nor less, than a watch made with more care than usual, so as to keep the most accurate time. They are of all sizes, from that of a clock, down to this which I wear in my fob, and which is a watch in size and appearance. Now, the nautical almanacs are all calculated to some particular meridian—” “Yes,” interrupted the relict, “Mr. Budd had a great deal to say about meridians.”