The time then came to set the first watch, from eight to midnight, of which Jackson, now, as second mate, took charge, when the captain went below, saying he was going to turn in early, so as to be ready when the breeze came, giving strict instructions to be called as soon as any change was apparent. Mr Marline, however, did not go below; so I remained on the poop with him and Jackson, the two walking up and down the deck and talking together while I stood by. The sky was wonderfully clear now, the firmament being studded with the greater constellations, and myriads of the lesser lights of the night powdering the heavens with their golden dust everywhere. But this was not for long. Shortly before nine o'clock a peculiar moaning noise came over the sea. It was like a sort of hushed sob of pain, resembling somewhat the sound of a number of voices wailing in chorus in the far distance. "What is that?" asked I of Mr Marline in alarm. "I'm sure I can't tell you, my boy," he replied; "I don't think I ever heard such a queer noise before. If we were off the banks of Newfoundland, I should think it a fog-horn blowing somewhere about. But, we're several hundred miles to the southward of Cape Race and the night is too clear for fogs. It is one of those mysterious voices of the sea that are for ever reminding the sailor that, no matter how wise he may think himself, he does not know everything!" "I imagine it's the wind coming, sir," observed Jackson deferentially, after listening to what Mr Marline had said. "When I was once on a voyage in the China Seas I noticed just such a sound before we had a thundering typhoon upon us, giving us hardly time to clew up." "Perhaps you're right," said the first mate; but after giving a glance up and around the sky, and noticing that the stars still shone out from the blue empyrean, he added, "there does not seem much chance of a gale now, though." "We'll see, sir," laughed Jackson, paraphrasing Mr Marline's observation to the captain. "We'd just as clear a night off Hainan, when our blow came on there at a moment's notice!"