You can't do nothing, sir, except pray for a calm sea.

Given that, we'll start with the light." "Very well," said Seton, and turned away.

He knew that the man spoke sense and he put pressure on himself to behave rationally.

Nevertheless, he spent the greater part of the night in a fever of restlessness which no strength of will could subdue; and he was down on the quay long before the first faint gleam of light shot glimmering over the quiet water.
* * * * * It was during those first wonderful moments of a new day that Mab woke up with a start shivering, and stretched out her arms with a cry of wonder.
Hours before, Merefleet had persuaded her to try to rest, and she had fallen asleep with her head against his knee, soothed by the calm that at length succeeded the storm.

He had watched over her with grim endurance throughout the night, and not once had he seen a light or any other object to raise his hopes.
They were out of sight of land; alone on the dumb waste.