It was then that the dancers from the ball-room rushed upon deck. These--ladies and all--laid hold on the ropes; and under the direction of the officers the canvas was taken in, and the vessel was relieved from her perilous situation and brought before the wind.
"Great praise is due to the petticoats," said the Professor, "who, by laying aside their modesty and climbing into the rigging, materially assisted in saving the ship."
"The women have behaved like men," said Toney.
"That proposition is carried unanimously," said Toney. And they proceeded to the cabin and toasted the ladies over a bottle of wine.
"Mr. Pate seems to be profoundly meditating upon the immensity of the water contained in the ocean," said the Professor, one afternoon, as he pointed to Pate, who was leaning over the bulwarks apparently in a condition of mental abstraction.
"It is probable that he is now calculating how long a period it would take to pump the Atlantic dry," said Toney.
"Land ho!" cried a loud voice in the direction of the forecastle.
There was a general rush forward at this announcement; and on the bow stood Peter, pointing with extended arm to some object which he asserted was land. But nobody could see it except himself; and Moses soon became skeptical, and finally declared that the fellow was a fool. This he demonstrated from the fact that Peter kept pointing to a dim cloud, about as big as the crown of his hat, with the absurd affirmation that it was _terra firma_. The opinion of Moses was warmly supported by M. T. Pate and others, who promulgated it with considerable emphasis. But Peter still stood at his post pointing prophetically afar off, and he now had Old Nick at his elbow, who stoutly corroborated all that he had uttered.
In the mean while the vessel, borne along by the breeze, kept steadily on her way, and the little cloud loomed larger on the horizon, and gradually grew more and more distinct. The almost imperceptible shade deepened into a substantial blue, and finally brightened into a beautiful green, and Cape Frio became plainly visible.
The prospect of soon getting on shore caused much excitement in the cabin, after supper, and considerable conviviality.
After partaking of several glasses of wine, the Professor turned to Toney and Tom, and gravely remarked,--