Page:Cruise of the Dry Dock.djvu/147

 Both boys bent above the chart, and Madden silently pointed out a row of pin holes that marked the daily reckonings of theMinnie B. She had sailed from Portland, Maine, had swung up the northern route past Newfoundland Banks as if going to England. On this portion of her voyage her average run was a little less than two hundred knots a day. On the fifth day out, the Minnie B inexplicably deserted the normal trade course, turned from “E. NE.” and sailed directly “S. SW.” At the same time her speed was accelerated to a trifle over three hundred knots a day. Her last reckoning left the pin sticking in the exact longitude and latitude which Leonard had worked out for the dock that morning.

“They got in a hurry when they did turn south,” said Greer vacuously.

“They certainly burned coal from there to here.”

“But what could have put her in such a rush, sir?”

“She must have sailed somewhere after a cargo, and later received a cancellation of the order. With that cancellation there must have