l sail, except
a close-reefed fore-topsail. There was not a breath of wind. The sea
was like a looking-glass, the heat was intense.

"No doubt it's old `Harry Cane,' come to pay us a visit, as he's not got
the change out of us yet," growled old Grim.

The lieutenant and his two young officers walked the deck, looking
somewhat anxiously.

"There are some ugly rocks and banks clustering pretty thickly about
here," he observed to one of them, "and if we have to run on in the
dark, Providence alone can take us clear of them."

"I would rather trust to Providence than to our own wisdom or skill,"
thought Bill. "He who took care of us before will take care of us now."

Some time passed, and still the calm continued. Even Mr Collinson
began to think that, after all, the hurricane was not coming.

"Don't let him fancy any such thing," observed old Grim. "Depend upon
it, if `Harry Cane' has made up his mind to come aboard us, come he
will; but whether or no he will take the masts out of us, or send us to
the bottom, is another thing."

The sky still remained overcast, and the heat increased. The men were
piped to dinner, and many a joke was cut at the mess-tables about the
expected hurricane.

"Oh! It's only a make-believe, after all," observed Jack Windy, as he
tossed off his grog, dinner being over.

The men had not left their seats, when, on a sudden, a loud low roar was
heard.

"All hands on deck!" shouted Mr Collinson.

"All hands on deck!" echoed the voice of the acting boatswain, piping
shrilly as he spoke.

The men rushed from below. They had scarcely gained the deck, when that
same frothy, hissing line of foam was seen advancing which had before
been seen. Like a blow from a mallet, the gale struck the vessel. At
first, she seemed to hesitate to move forward. Then she sprang on, and
away she flew dead before it. On she went, the seas increasing rapidly
as she advanced. In a short time, however, the wind shifted and caught
the sail aback. The schooner seemed about to make a stern-board.
Before the order could be given to let go the sheets, a loud thundering
noise was heard like the report of a piece of ordnance, and the sail,
blown from the bolt-ropes, flew away before the blast. The
fore-staysail was run up, and once more the schooner's head was turned
away before the wind. On again she flew in a different direction.

"It is as I feared," said Mr Collinson to the mate, Mr Tatham. "She
i