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 it up at that minute. All the same, we have to take our hats off to Jim if he really did see it."

Although the wind continued to blow moderately hard that night, it was steady, and therefore caused no particular anxiety. The Nautilus was eating up the knots like a racer, and Tempest awaited dawn anxiously in the hope of sighting Fanning Island.

"Keep your eyes skinned for land, Jim," he said.

Jim merely nodded. The sky was growing fairly light when he pointed with a brown forefinger away on the starboard bow.

"Him land," he declared.

"Rubbish!" commented Tempest. "That's a bit of a cloud on the horizon."

Dave was levelling the binoculars in the direction.

"He's right, Tempest," he said.

"Gee, but that's fine!" said Tempest. "I hardly expected to hit it off quite as near as that,