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The board that they played on was made by the carpenter, but it had been divided into proper squares through the aid of Mr Meldrum's compasses and parallel ruler, wielded by Mr Lathrope; so that all of them, so to speak, had a hand in the construction of the complete article.
"That's snow and pumice-stone, as fur as I ken see," put in Mr Lathrope; "and I guess I must be durned peckish fore I tackle those!" "You forget the seals and the penguins," said Mr Meldrum. "Waal, mister," rejoined the American, "we've only seed one seal, as I reckon. That was that air `Sea Olly-fant, as the Norwegee called it, and the animile's meat warn't 'zackly what this child ken stomach!
"Zee-oliphant," said Karl Ericksen, the Norwegian sailor, in his broken English. "He is not harmful: he good for man eat." "Snakes and alligators! that's prime anyhow, I reckon," put in Mr Lathrope. "I guess this air animile'll save your old stores, mister, hey?" "I hope so," answered Mr Meldrum.
He was endeavouring to find out which route would be the most practicable for reaching the eastern seaboard; and, after collecting all his observations into one harmonised whole and deliberating over the matter with Mr Lathrope and the first-mate, who had severally accompanied him in his various prospecting tours, the final course of the party was at length agreed on.
This was just after Mr Zachariah Lathrope, the American passenger, had so well illustrated Virgil's line, facilus descensus averni, in coming down the stairway by the run, on the top of a "comber;" and, although the steward had lit one of the swinging lamps over the cuddy table, it only served, with its feeble flickering light, to "make the darkness visible" and render the scene more sombre.
Hullo, my lily-white friend," added he, catching sight of Snowball, who was bustling about the galley close to him, for Mr Lathrope had gone down on the main-deck along with Captain Dinks, to inspect the damage to the ship more narrowly than he was able to do on the poop. "Ain't it near breakfast-time?
"You'd have ben a smart coon to have done the contrary, I guess, mister, anyhow," said the American drily. "Sure, an' it's the sole of me fut I mane, sorr," explained the first- mate in Hibernian fashion. "Jest so," said Mr Lathrope, laughing at the blunder; "and it would puzzle you to walk different, I kalkerlate, that is onless you tried the sole of your head!"
Soon, a little more exertion on the part of the rowers would decide whether the naval officer had judged rightly or wrongly as to there being a bay there a veritable "harbour of refuge" it would be for them. "I guess, mister," said Mr Lathrope, who had been for some time quieter than usual, "that air animile ain't far off its roosting peg; and whar he lands I kalkerlate we can dew too."
As for Mr Zachariah Lathrope, he was too busy with the ham and eggs to do much talking; although, like the monkeys, he probably thought the more, for ever and anon he would pass encomiums on the viands and pass up his plate for a fresh helping, the steward having enough to do in supplying his wants quickly enough.
The seamen had all retired to their dormitory, as had likewise Mr McCarthy and Adams; while Mr Lathrope was nodding in one corner of the general room by the fireplace, and Mr Meldrum immersed in thought in the other. Florry and Maurice Negus had both gone to sleep long since.
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