Some others, who were in the secret, also knew that the captain had not left the quarterdeck, either to eat or to sleep, for forty-eight hours; for they had left him on deck at a late hour at night, and found him there at an early hour of the morning. And they had seen strong coffee carried up to him at short intervals. That was all. For sailors never think of danger until that danger, whatever it might be, is imminent; and never speak of it until it becomes necessary to do so, in order to save life. Thus the passengers on board the "Oceana," on the night of the 20th of December, were totally ignorant of the real nature of the perils that beset them, although, as I said, an undefined misgiving and a sense of insecurity oppressed their hearts. At ten o'clock that night the weather was thick, foggy, and intensely cold, with a heavy sea and a high wind. The captain and first mate were on deck, where a number of the hardier and more anxious passengers were collected to watch. In the dining saloon were gathered around the tables those inveterate gamblers who seem to have no object, either in the voyage of the ocean or the voyage of life, except the winning or losing of money. In the ladies' cabin there were two social whist parties, formed of the ladies of the Scotch professor's family and the gentlemen of our set. They were playing with great enjoyment, notwithstanding that little undercurrent of vague uneasiness of which I spoke, when the Scotchman, who had been on the deck all the evening, came down into the cabin, wearing a long face. But the whist-players were too much interested in their game to notice the lugubrious expression of the old man, until he came to the table, and in a tone of the most alarming gravity exclaimed: "Don't be frightened!" Every lady dropped her cards and turned deadly pale with terror. Every gentleman looked up inquiringly at this judicious speaker. "What is there to be frightened at, sir?" coldly inquired Ishmael. "Well, you know our situation--But, ladies, for Heaven's sake, be composed. Your sex are noted for heroism in the midst of danger--" Here, to prove his words good, one of the ladies shrieked, fell back in her chair, and covered her face with her hands. "These ladies are not aware of any danger, sir, and I think it quite needless to alarm them," said Ishmael gravely. "My good young friend, I don't wish to alarm them; I came down here on purpose to exhort them to coolness and self-possession, so necessary in the hour of peril. Now, dear ladies, I must beg that you will not suffer yourselves to be agitated." "There is really, sir, no present cause for agitation, except, if you will pardon me for saying it, your own needlessly alarming words and manner," said Ishmael cheerfully, to reassure the frightened women, who seemed upon the very verge of hysterics.