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Nervous conversation spread through the crowd。 The old woman ignored it and asked； 〃What is it that you think you're saving us from？〃
〃He's crazy；〃 the guide responded。 〃He's hooked up with a bunch offtakes that think the sky is falling。〃
Anxiety washed across the kid's face； and he reddened。 He looked away from the old woman to his sister； pain in his eyes。 Then； with what could have been embarrassment； he said； 〃I'm saving you from the end of the world！〃
4。 OFFSHORE
We were three days into the desert when the flood occurred。 Great waves washed over our caravan。 Three men and two camels of great value were lost。 When the waters receded we were surrounded by a great number of fishes。 The water was of no use because it tasted of salt。
…Abu al Assad； 1413
Off Naples； Florida
PREQUILT； SATURDAY； 1：35 P。M。 EST
Ron was so obvious about trying to please Rosa that even Chris noticed it。 〃Geez； Dad；〃 he said finally； 〃why don't you just kiss her？〃 Ron took the kidding but didn't give up trying to get Rosa interested in sailing。 He showed her how to mind the helm； hoist and lower the sails； told her what the different sails were called； and explained the pass and what a heading was。
He let her take the helm and talked endlessly about his experiences at sea and the time he had sailed with his uncle in the greatest of the offshore races； the Fastnet。 With forty…one other entries they had set sail from Cowes on the Isle of Wight； raced to Fastnet Rock off the coast of Ireland； and then back to Plymouth； England。 Thirty…two petitors finished that year； and Ron's uncle's boat finished seventeenth。 But that seventeenth place was as good as a victory in Ron's memory。 They had raced through fog banks； fought whirligig currents； and finished in the middle of the pack。 But they had finished。 Ron talked about it with more passion than Rosa had ever seen in him； and as a result she listened respectfully。 Even Chris； who had heard the story for years； listened attentively this time。 Telling the story at sea gave it a feeling no living room could。 In the afternoon Ron brought out the sextant and tried explaining navigation to Rosa and Chris。 Carmen sat at the helm； a bemused look on her face。
〃The key to figuring out our position is what we call the navigational triangle。 We start by identifying three points on the earth's surface。 We know where the earth's pole is； so that is one point。〃
〃Which pole？〃 Chris cut in。 〃There's two； you know。〃
〃Yes； I know。 The closest pole； in this case the North Pole。 We also know the geographical position of stars and planets 。 。 。 that means where the star or planet is over the earth's surface。〃
〃But the earth is turning；〃 Rosa pointed out。
〃Yeah；〃 Chris echoed； 〃the earth is turning fast。 Maybe a million miles an hour。〃
〃Yes；〃 Ron said with exaggerated patience； 〃the earth is turning； but not millions of miles an hour； more like a thou…。 sand。 That's why we need a clock； a very accurate clock。〃
〃The one in the cabin； right？〃 Chris said。
〃Right； Chris。 We leave that one in the cabin because it's set to Greenwich mean time and must be exactly right。 Then； I set my watch by that clock。〃
〃I thought you used the radio to set your watch；〃 Rosa pointed out。
〃I use the radio to see how far off our clock is from Greenwich mean time。 They broadcast Greenwich mean time signals so people at sea can check their clocks。〃
〃And if their clocks are off they can't navigate？〃 Rosa asked。
〃Yeah； they get lost forever； and bee ghost ships；〃 Chris said。
〃No； they just need to correct their calculations based on how many seconds off their clock is。 You were right about the earth moving； but we know where a star will be above its surface at a given time。 We use the Nautical Almanac to find that out。〃 Ron held up the book。 Chris reached for it； but Ron pulled it out of his reach。 〃I'm not finished yet。 Okay； so we know where the pole is； and we know the point on the earth's surface where a star or planet will be directly above at a certain time of the day。 Then we use our position to plete the triangle。〃
〃But if you know where we are why do you have to do all this？〃 Rosa asked。
〃Yeah；〃 Chris echoed his new sister。 〃If we know where we are why do we have to do this？〃
〃We don't know exactly where we are； we estimate it based on course and speed from our last position。 But an approximate position isn't good enough。 We have to know exactly where we are。 This is where the sextant es in。〃 Ron lifted it out of its box。 Chris made a grab again； but Ron held it up high。 〃I use the sextant。 Maybe I'll show Rosa how to use it if she wants。〃
〃What about me？〃 Chris whined。
〃Well； maybe；〃 Ron said doubtfully。 He looked to Carmen for help； but the look on her face said she was enjoying his predicament。
〃We know the three points of our triangle； and based on that we know； at a certain time； how high the star should be above the horizon。 We use the sextant to read the exact height of the star above the horizon； and mark the time of the reading。 Then； since we know for sure two points of the triangle； we can adjust the position of the third point based on the difference between our estimated altitude of the star and the actual altitude。〃
Ron looked around at his miniaudience。 Carmen was still grinning； Chris was staring blankly； and Rosa glared angrily at him。 Ron couldn't imagine why his navigation lesson would make her mad。 Then Rosa blurted it out。
〃This is geometry； isn't it？ This is some sort of trick to get me to do homework； isn't it？〃
〃No； it's not a trick。 It is geometry； but I thought you would be interested。 。。。 I mean； you have to do this to sail offshore。〃
〃Just what I want to do； float around the ocean doing geometry。 Just how often do you have to do these calculations？〃
〃Seven or eight times a day。 You do the first before sunrise； a couple of sun sights in the morning； a noon sight。 。 。〃
Ron stopped talking。 He knew he was making Rosa's hostility worse。
〃Eight times a day？ You have to do the calculations eight times a day？ And you get to get up early to do them？ What a sweet deal〃
〃Well； it's not that bad。 Most of the calculations are done for you； you just use the tables； or the electronic navigator in the cabin。〃
〃I know if I tried to pay someone to do my geometry homework you would ground me forever。 And now I'm supposed to do yours？ Well； if I have to do geometry to sail； it's another good reason to stay on land。 There all you have to do is read the signs； or a map。〃
〃But the stars are the map out here。〃
〃Yeah；〃 Chris cut in； 〃the stars are a map。 Kind of a connect the dots。〃
Ron scowled at Chris while Rosa got up and stomped down the deck to the bow。 Carmen gave Ron a look that said 〃You should have known better。〃 Ron thought about Rosa and then he thought of Bermuda； and then he got depressed； Chris was still sitting there with him； looking at the sextant。 Maybe； Ron thought； if I get Chris interested Rosa will e back。
〃You want to see how the sextant works； Chris？〃
Chris lit up like a kid on Christmas morning。
〃Yeah； sure。 Can I hold it too？〃
Ron spent a few minutes with Chris； showing him how to sight the sun and the horizon and make the readings。 It was clear Chris mostly wanted to look through the sextant's telescopic sight； so Ron gave up and let him。 Rosa never came back。 Instead she was sunbathing on the bow。 Finally； Ron set Chris up with a fishing pole and then settled in next to Carmen at the helm。
The Entrepreneur sailed southwest into the afternoon。 When Ron dropped the sea anchor they ate。 Carmen had cooked crab in the icebox； and they cracked and ate it with salad； and soft bread sticks。 The lunch warmed Rosa's heart enough to get her talking to Ron again。 After lunch Chris talked them into playing spoons； his favorite card game。 Carmen had never played； and Chris expertly explained how the cards are passed in a circle until a player gets four of a kind； and then picks up one of the three spoons on the table。 Then； in a race； the other players try to grab the remaining spoons。 Chris cautioned her not to get faked into grabbing one too soon but in the first round feigned