“I think not, for I got some idea of the locality when we came into the bay, and while we lay at anchor here for about two days,” added Frinks. “There is something that looks like a creek or the mouth of a river over to the northward of us; but we can land the lady beyond that with the jolly-boat.” “I’ll tell you what we will do,” said Captain Ringgold suddenly and loudly, as though a satisfactory idea had come to his mind. “We will take the boat and go on a little exploring expedition, for I don’t believe in taking Mrs. Belgrave out on a night like this without knowing where we are going to fetch up. This bay is big enough to be well shaken up in a gale like this; and I think we had better feel our way before we expose her to anything in the way of danger.” “I am not afraid, Captain Ringgold,” protested Mrs. Belgrave. “It was not very rough when we went out of the bay this forenoon.” “Very true, madam; but it blows more than four times as hard now as it did then,” added the shipmaster. “Perhaps we had better wait a couple of hours or so, for the tide is dead low now, and by that time we shall have water enough to get about in the jolly-boat, and perhaps in the schooner. There is a good channel up to the town if we only knew where it was; but it is very crooked, I remember, for I was in here in a schooner twenty years ago.” “I think that it is a capital idea to explore the bay to the northward of us; and I am confident we can land on that creek not more than half a mile from the anchorage,” said Frinks with considerable enthusiasm, as though he desired to do all he could to comply with the wishes of the lady passenger. “I will go with you, and do what I can to assist, for I know something about the bay from my stay here.” This plan was agreed upon, and Louis was very glad to have the mate accompany the exploring expedition, for he regarded him as the only dangerous man at liberty on board the Maud, and he could easily be kept under control in the boat, or on the desolate shore of the bay at the north, though it had a town on the west side, whose cheerful lights could be seen from the deck of the schooner. Louis advised his mother to lie down in her berth and sleep a part of the night, for they could not be ready to take her ashore for at least three hours. She complied with his request, rather to please him than because she expected to sleep under the present circumstances. Felix had already gone to sleep on one of the divans under the berths, and Louis was inclined to follow his example. He went on deck with the captain to take a more careful survey of the surroundings, so far as they could make them out in the gloom of the night. “I suppose there is no danger in leaving mother on board while we go on this exploring expedition,” said Louis, after they had peered into the darkness for a while without being able to make out anything.