“Why--her--her anchor. It’s been down all the time. That thar anchor had ought to catch hold of somethin.” Ferguson slapped his thighs with both hands with tremendous force. “You’re right! right are you, old man, for once! For the moment, I had forgotten about the anchor. That saves them. That anchor’s bound to catch; for, after all, I don’t think last night’s storm was bad enough to make her drag. At any rate, it gives them a chance, And now--off we go.” With these words, Ferguson jumped into his boat. He turned his head once more. “Old man, mark me--? all you’ve got to do is to follow straight after me.” “But you’ll get away in the night.” “So I will. Well, then, you head straight nothe-west and by nothe. I’ll pick you up some time tomorrow. We’ll cruise along the shore of Anticosti till we find the ship.” With these words, Ferguson seized the oars. A dozen strokes brought him alongside of his own schooner. He leaped on board, and the boat was hauled up astern. In a few moments the Fawn spread her snow-white wings, and headed away “nothe-west and by nothe.” The Antelope followed. Before evening the Fawn was out of sight. But Captain Corbet stood calmly and confidently at the helm, and steered “nothe-west and by nothe.” His despair had subsided, leaving only a mild melancholy that was not unbecoming; but his soul was full of hope, for he had confidence in Ferguson. XIX. _The Cove.--The grassy Knoll.--The Brook.--A Reconnoitre.--The Bed of the Brook.--Far up into the Country.--A rough Road.--Return.--The Aroma of the strange Dinner.--Solomon again in his Glory.--A great Surprise.--A Resolution.--Drawing of Lots.--The fated Two.--Last Visit to the Petrel.--Final Preparations.--A sound Sleep.--The Embarkation. --The white Sail lost to View._. THE cove into which they pulled seemed to the boys to be the most beautiful place that they had ever seen. Such a thought was natural, after such a passage from the wrecked ship, and from the terrors of the sea to this peaceful and sheltered nook; and, indeed, more unprejudiced observers might have been charmed with such a place. The hills encircled it, covered with trees; the brook babbled over pebbles into the sea; the grassy knoll rose invitingly in front of them; while behind them was the sea, upon which the ship floated low in the water. The boys looked upon this with enthusiastic delight; but Solomon’s face was turned away; he was bowed down low, and staring intently into the water. That water was astonishingly clear and transparent; and Solomon found an attractiveness in the sea bottom which made all other things seem dull and commonplace. He said nothing, however, and the boys were too much taken up with the beauties of the place to notice his attitude.