We were on a different business.
About nine o'clock we went to bed, the captain promising to call us if anything turned up.

But I couldn't sleep well--my bunk was too close and hot, and so I pretty soon got up and went up to the pilot-house, where I found the captain.

He and one of the hands were hard at work putting the boat around.
"Hello!" said he.

"I thought you were sound asleep." "Hello!" said I."What are you turning round for ?" It was bright starlight, and I could see that we were making a complete circuit in the smooth water.
"Well," said he, "we're going back." "Back!" I cried.

"What's the meaning of that?
We haven't made half a search.