to the waist, filling the main-deck knee-deep with w

ils and forestaysail. She was heeling over to the gale until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while

hile he clung to the lee mizzen rigging. Captain Crojack was on deck, and O'Toole had gone forward to call{63} all hands. We had been hove to all the morning on the port track, but, as the

to put the wheel hard up, when the forestaysail, which had held durin

lower topsails, but finally came up on th

rail was well under water. Then, with a sudden lurch, she righted, sending the flood across the deck and filling the forward c

t enough through the scuppers. The men were called aft on the poop, while O'Toole

who stood knee-deep in the foam and strove lustily

ve to windward, and at the same instant he

to see a blue hill of water ri

mothering crash, it fell o

e when my feet were swept from under m

head out of the water, and in a moment the shi

n. And then, yes, and then I must confess how weak a strong man is

lding fast to the topsail brace with one hand while the

like a beacon in the surrounding waste of whiteness, while his deep voice, half-cho

l ye'll be wantin' if yer goin' to help us here, so git on to th' poop before another sea washes ye clane out av yer skin." So

climbed on to the poop and held on to the lee rigging. In a few moments we stove out the ports, and the vessel began to relieve herself of

face wore an anxious look as he strove to pierce the cloud of

here was much of the sturdy sailor's nature expressed in the soft face of the

soft and delicate traceries of sentiment of the weaker, I have always felt that more rel

eyes, as he stood there trying to look to wi

the yard-arm as if it were a sheet of ice under a tropic sun. Then, almost instantl

yards, and in a moment the watch were all struggling with that bit of canva

looking clouds, their lower edges almost resting on the heaving ocean. The air had{68} become as warm as if we had suddenly entered the tropics. In the dull, uncertain light I thought I noticed something white on the water to the southward. Then, above the t

sing to the strain, until the booming roar was d

off before it; then it parted from the clews and jacksta

lmost lifted me from my f

e companionway, for he knew that, running deep as we were, it woul

is time, sure," said O'Toole, who, with Brown and a couple o

ard owned by an Irishman in my mess, and ivery time a sea would strike an' board us th' baste would laugh outrajis. Th' fellow was so scared av th' oncanny cratur that he thought it

ed, 'an' thank yer stars me conscience pr

ow{70} that owned th' burd was th' first on th' yard, an' th' first thing he saw there, lookin' down at him from th' r'yal tr

ight as a board, he would have broke his neck. As it was, he slid right down on to th' mai

ould be nothin' but good come from it. Hold hard!" and suiting the action to the yell, he sprang on to the saddle of the spanker boom. The rest

{71} of it, as, with a thundering crash, t

bin door. A glimpse of struggling arms in the smother of foam that

over. "Good God! Mr. Gore, she won't stand another like that; she's half up

e, Brown, and a dozen sailors, I made my way as rapid

ard work, managed to lash it up and down the ratlines j

but he and the sailor left there held{72} on. The man was the heavy-set German whose shoulders had felt the weight of my rop

the trough of the sea. She managed to head up, however, although she took a comber into her waist that stove two men, who were at the braces, so heav

othing but the tarpaulin in the mizzen, she would head up within four points of the sea, while

73} stood at the wheel. The cries continued to come up the smashed companionway,

bin, and almost immediately

th fright, and begged

ence. I took her to the weather side of the cabin, clear of the water, and strove to quiet her, and in a shor

ave, she became nervous ag

e alone, Mr. Gore; you'll

no sooner out of my mouth than I was aware of a stateroom{74} door be

Captain Crojack dow

ed, and, freeing myself

r eyed me

r bending, and get the foresail close reefed," he sa

iding comfortably enough. After supper we kept away and drove off to the eastward, with th

end the cabin door and clear aw

mong these I noticed a book which I thought I{75} recognized, by its peculiar cover, as my private log-book. I reme

as damaged by the water, and was astonished to find ne

a little seasick. Am much amused at the antics of the ogling first officer. H

I am not handsome, and tha

engers were absorbed in conversation over our recent danger. Here was my{76} chance. I went softly to Mrs. Waters's door and turned the latch. It opened and I saw that all was dark within, so I quickly deposited the book into what I supposed was the empty bunk and

ed into the main cabin, so it was evident that he

rtainly have killed me before I could have said a wo

e body, holding his arms to his si

screamed at the top of her voice, while he

y hair and very properly fainted. Then

I went back to my bunk and lay there all th

lieved that, if there is an all-good and all-powerful Creator, there

ere can be no wrong, for every one must bel

he matter is quite different. A person

and his niece at that time. Both of those looked upon that absurd affair from an illogical standpoint. Which goes to show{78} how muc