"Of course, typhoons in the China Sea are nasty things while they last, but a ship like the _Sirdar_ is not troubled by them.

She will drive through the worst gale she is likely to meet here in less than twelve hours.

Besides, I alter the course somewhat as soon as I discover our position with regard to its center.

You see, Miss Deane--" And Captain Ross forthwith illustrated on the back of a menu card the spiral shape and progress of a cyclone.

He so thoroughly mystified the girl by his technical references to northern and southern hemispheres, polar directions, revolving air-currents, external circumferences, and diminished atmospheric pressures, that she was too bewildered to reiterate a desire to visit the bridge.
Then the commander hurriedly excused himself, and the passengers saw no more of him that day.
But his short scientific lecture achieved a double result.