“‘How’s the wind, Quartermaster?’ he said to the man at the wheel. “‘Sou’west-by-south, sir,’ answered the Quartermaster. “Taffy looked up at the sails and the clouds and out over the sea—as if he were making up his mind, instead of knowing all the time what he meant to do! Then he said to the Quartermaster:— “‘Keep her as she is until we reach this point,’ and he made a little mark on the chart, right near the large island; ‘then we’ll make a long run to the south.’ “‘Ay, ay, sir,’ said the Quartermaster. But when the Mate turned away to walk for’ard, he drew up one side of his face so it was all bias, and winked at the Bos’n! “Taffy went into his own cabin, and came out again with a long spy-glass in his hand. He walked to the foot of the foremast-shrouds and rested the spy-glass in the ratlines to steady it, and looked toward the place where the Gateway led into Torquillon’s Lair. “And the Jane Ellen was sailing so fast that he hadn’t been looking long before he saw a little gray hump on the edge of the water, that he knew was the large island. Then he put down the glass and waited a little while. The next time he looked, both the island and the mainland showed plainly, with a little, little gap between. “But he never could spend much time doing what he liked without being interrupted, so very soon he put down the glass and went below to see why Tom Green hadn’t polished the binnacle. “While he was gone the Jane Ellen kept sailing on; and by the time he came back the Gateway showed even without the glass. And when Taffy had the glass steady once more and looked through it, he saw a dark speck on the water, outside the Lion’s head. He looked for a moment, then he called, ‘Bos’n!’ “‘Ay, ay, sir,’ said the Bos’n, coming up. Taffy handed him the glass. “‘See what you make of that?’ “The Bos’n took the glass and looked carefully. Then he rubbed the small end with a loose fold of his shirt, and looked again. “‘It looks to me like a brig, sir. She’s hove-to; and she’s lost some of her riggin’,’ he said. “Taffy took the glass, and while he was looking, who should come along but the Captain! He had just stepped out of his cabin, and was surprised to see the island so near. “‘Why are we here, Mr. Morganwg?’ he asked. ‘Aren’t we out of our course?’ “‘We are, sir, a little,’ said Taffy. ‘But that’s because the wind is sou’west-by-south. I thought we’d make better time this way.’ “‘And go by that Gateway, too,’ said the Captain; and he looked at the Bos’n and laughed. The Bos’n laughed too, so Taffy felt a wee bit foolish, and he thought he’d rather talk about something else. So he said, ‘There’s a ship lying over there, in distress.’ “‘Let me see,’ said the Captain, taking the glass. ‘Sure enough! We must go and see what is the matter.’” “Everybody knew he wanted to go, didn’t they?” said Pat. “Everybody,” said the Princess. “But they were all eager, now, to go to the rescue.