“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 Captain 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 Captain 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.” “That of London, or Greenwich, being the meridian used by those who use the English Almanacs, and those of Paris or St. Petersburg, by the French and Russians. Each of these places has an observatory, and chronometers that are kept carefully regulated, the year round. Every chronometer is set by the regulator of the particular observatory or place to which the almanac used is calculated.”