“We’re going to Quaco now—­arn’t we?” asked Phil.

“Yes; right straight on into Quaco Harbor, fair an squar.”

“I don’t see how it’s possible for you to know so perfectly where you are.”

“Young sir, there ain’t a nook, nor a corner, nor a hole, nor a stun, in all the outlinin an configoortion of this here bay but what’s mapped out an laid down all c’rect in this here brain.  I’d undertake to navigate these waters from year’s end to year’s end, ef I was never to see the sun at all, an even ef I was to be perpetooly surrounded by all the fogs that ever riz.  Yea, verily, and moreover, not only this here bay, but the hull coast all along to Bosting.  Why, I’m at home here on the rollin biller.  I’m the man for Mount Desert, an Quoddy Head, an Grand Manan, an all other places that air ticklish to the ginrality of seafarin men.  Why, young sir, you see before you, in the humble an unassumin person of the aged Corbet, a livin, muvin, and sea-goin edition of Blunt’s Coast Pilot, revised and improved to a precious sight better condition than it’s ever possible for them fellers in Bosting to get out.  By Blunt’s Coast Pilot, young sir, I allude to a celebrated book, as big as a pork bar’l, that every skipper has in his locker, to guide him on his wanderin way—­ony me.  I don’t have no call to use sech, being myself a edition of useful information techin all coastin matters.”

The Antelope now proceeded quickly on her way.  Several miles were traversed.

“Now, boys, look sharp,” said the captain; “you’ll soon see the settlement.”

They looked sharp.

For a few moments they went onward through the water, and at length there was visible just before them what seemed like a dark cloud extending all along.  A few minutes further progress made the dark cloud still darker, and, advancing further, the dark cloud finally disclosed itself as a line of coast.  It was close by them, and, even while they were recognizing it as land, they saw before them the outline of a wharf.

“Good agin!” cried the captain.  “I didn’t come to the wharf I wanted, but this here’ll do as well as any other, an I don’t know but what it’ll do better.  Here we air, boys.  Stand by thar, mate, to let fall the jib.”

On they went, and in a few minutes more the Antelope wore round, and her side just grazed the wharf.  The mate jumped ashore, lines were secured, and the Antelope lay in safety.

“An now, boys, we may all go ashore, an see if we can hear anything about the boat.”

With these words Captain Corbet stepped upon the wharf, followed by all the boys, and they all went up together, till they found themselves on a road.  There they saw a shop, and into this they entered.  No time was to be lost; the captain at once told his story, and asked his question.

The answer was soon made.

Nothing whatever was known there about any boat.  Two or three schooners had arrived within two days, and the shopkeeper had seen the skippers, but they had not mentioned any boat.  No boat had drifted ashore anywhere near, nor had any strange lad arrived at the settlement.