noon
At dawn the wind had died away to a light breeze , and the sun rose to shine upon an ocean of unspecked blue . To the eastward , the slopes of New Britain were hidden from our view by a thick mist , only the tops of some high mountain peaks far inland showing above , and there seemed to be every appearance of the fine weather lasting . This gave us much satisfaction , and after a bathe in a rocky pool on the reef , we ate our breakfast of fish and coconut with good spirits , then filling our pipes , went down to the inner beach to bask in the glorious sunshine . `` If this sort ot weather keeps up , '' I remarked to Yorke , `` I 'm afraid your prediction about our seeing Guest and the cutter in another two days wo n't be verified -- it 'll fall calm before noon to-day , and may keep so for a week . I 've known a calm to last for a solid ten days on the north side of New Britain . '' `` Perhaps so , '' he replied ; `` but then the current about here sets strongly to the eastward , and somehow I feel certain that , wind or no wind , we 'll see the ships . '' `` Well , if we do , you ought to give up sailoring , Captain Yorke , and go into business as a prophet .