The extraordinary pair came in and Chris was introduced to Captain Blizzard and Mr. Finney. The Captain was all smiles except for his eyes; Chris noted that his eyes did not smile at all. Mr. Finney, true to form, cast down his eyes, sighed, and let the corners of his wide thin lips droop almost to his chin. When a chair large enough and solid enough had been found for Captain Blizzard, and Becky had brought in a decanter of sherry and glasses to set before the visitors, Chris shut the study door and sat down on the floor where he could observe the three faces before him. Mr. Wicker spoke first. "Well, Captain, what brings you here so betimes? No trouble of any kind, I trust?" Captain Blizzard set down his glass of sherry and cleared his throat. "Now, sir, needs must I come with unpleasant news, and sorry I am to bring it. I have heard that the _Venture_ plans to sail at any time, and you well know she is a fast-sailing ship." He folded his plump hands over his paunch and twiddled his thumbs with agitation. "Sir, it has been noised about that the _Venture_ is headed for the West Indies." He paused and glanced at Mr. Finney who nodded forlornly, his mouth drooping. "But 'tis not so." The Captain looked with anxious eyes at Mr. Wicker. "Early this morning Ned Cilley brought me the information that the _Venture_ is to sail to the China seas." Mr. Wicker's face was grave but showed no surprise. "I knew some trouble was ahead," he said slowly, "but did not know what form it was to take." He paused. "News of sailings and destinations get about so rapidly, it is more than likely that someone overheard the destination of the _Mirabelle_, and sold his knowledge to Captain Chew. Although," he added thoughtfully, "I think Claggett Chew guessed it. Well," and Mr. Wicker looked alertly at the two men, "what advice do you give me?" Captain Blizzard wagged his head. "Nay sir, 'tis for orders that I came to you. It is for you to say." "How soon can the _Mirabelle_ put to sea?" Mr. Wicker asked, and Chris's heart skipped a beat. "At any time, sir," the Captain at once replied. "We have nearly water enough, and quite sufficient stores. The men are all assembled." The Captain fell silent and no one spoke for several minutes. Mr. Wicker leaning his chin on his folded hands was lost in thought. "How move the tides?" he finally asked, raising his head. The Captain, with surprising briskness for so large a man, pulled some folded charts from his pocket. Without a word the three men rose and went over to the table, pushing aside the china bowl filled with flowers to spread the charts flat on the table top. Captain Blizzard leaned his knuckles on the boards. "The tide will be high at midnight, sir," he informed them. "See"--he pointed a short forefinger at a spot on one chart--"here is the sandbar that the tide covers for but a short time, and should there be other ships crowding the river near this point, we must slip through there then or not at all."