“While they were working, the Captain considered. And the more he considered, the more he didn’t know whether it would be one bit of use; but the less he wanted to go sailing away around all those islands without trying to bottle up that waterspout and clear the passage for all the ships that should come after. “And Taffy never considered a minute. He didn’t know, and he didn’t much care, whether they could bottle up anything, or not; he thought only, some way or other, he _must_ go in at that Gateway between the Lion and the Man, and see what was inside. So when the Captain called him into his cabin to consult with him, I think you can guess what kind of advice Taffy gave.” (The children looked as if they could very easily. They would have given the same themselves.) “When the Skipper came aboard for his answer, he found there was no persuasion needed; but they could begin at once to lay their plans very carefully for what they should do when they were once inside. The Skipper drew a chart, the way he remembered it, and they laid their course, just how they would sail, and settled everything so that there could be no mistake. “At last the Captain said: ‘There! I think that’s all. And we can make a start the first thing in the morning.’ “‘_To-morrow morning!_’ shouted the Skipper. ‘Shiver my timbers! Do you think we can wait forever?’ “‘Nobody wants to wait so long as that,’ said the Captain. ‘But it’s too late to go in to-day. You don’t want to be caught in there in the dark.’ “‘Who’s going to be caught?’ asked the Skipper. ‘I’m not. And we’re going in _to-day_!’ “‘We’re going in _to-morrow_,’ said the Captain, just as firmly. The Skipper turned huffy. “‘I’d like to know who’s planning this,’ he said. “‘You are,’ said the Captain. ‘And I don’t think it’s much of a plan—whoever made it! And if you’re so set, we’ll go now,—the time may be as good as the plan,—but it’s too late!’ “‘It’s nearly the longest days in the year,’ said the Skipper. As if that wouldn’t have made it all the easier to wait for morning!” “Then it was a wrong argument,” remarked Phyllisy. “Yes; but he didn’t think long enough to see it. “So, because he was so impatient, just after three bells of the second watch of the afternoon had struck, the Jane Ellen and the Reindeer weighed their anchors and made sail, and advanced side by side, like two white swans, to the Gateway that led into Torquillon’s Lair. “There were always clouds hanging over it; and they lowered dark over the Frowning Man, so he scowled harder than ever as they passed out of the sunshine that made their sails shine white as snowdrifts, into the shadow of the cloud that suddenly turned them gray. “But they sailed boldly by, close under his nose; and Taffy looked curiously, to see what sort of place they had come into.