He was sitting moodily in the prow of the boat as usual one afternoon, when suddenly he jumped up, and with a yell took a header overboard, almost capsizing our heavily laden boat.
At first I thought he must have gone mad, but on heaving to, I saw him some little distance away in the water struggling with a turtle.

He managed to get it on its back after a time, and though I felt annoyed at his recklessness, I could not help laughing at his antics and the comical efforts made by the turtle to escape.

The turtle was duly hauled aboard, and we then continued our voyage without delay.

I was dreadfully afraid of being caught in a storm.

Our boat must inevitably have foundered had the seas been at all rough.
Fortunately never once did the wind change, so that we were able to sail on steadily and safely night and day, without deviating in the least from our course.