t me to go on board of the ship to prefer
the charge."

"Whew!" whistled the boatswain, as long and loud as though the sound had
been made with his own shrill pipe. "A complaint against the captain! I
beg your honor's pardon, but that can't be. Nobody can have a complaint
against the captain."

"I do not wish to argue the matter with you. Will you do what I ask, or
not?"

"I beg your honor's pardon, but I will not," replied Cleats, who seemed
to have no doubt in regard to his own course, whatever rupture there
might be among the powers above him.

"That's enough," growled Mr. Hamblin, turning on his heel.

"There's a big squall coming, your honor," added Cleats, loud enough for
the professor to hear him. "The boat wouldn't live a minute in it."

"I am not afraid of the squall," replied the learned gentleman, pausing.
"Will you row the boat?"

"No, sir; I would rather not," answered Cleats, shaking his head.

At this moment a heavy roaring, rushing sound came over the sea from
the direction of the land. The water was covered with a dense white
mist. The sound increased in volume till it vied with the booming
thunder, and the surface of the sea was lashed into a snowy foam by the
coming tempest.

"Down with the jib and mainsail!" shouted Captain Kendall, sharply.

"Stand by the mainsail halyards!" said Terrill, through his speaking
trumpet. "Man the jib halyards and downhaul!"

"All ready, sir," replied the second lieutenant, forward; for all hands
were still at their stations, in anticipation of the emergency.

"All ready, sir," added the fourth lieutenant, whose place was on the
quarter-deck.

"Let go the mainsail halyards!" added the first lieutenant; and the
order was repeated by the fourth lieutenant. "Down with it, lively!"

The heavy sail, assisted by twenty pairs of willing and eager hands,
rattled down in an instant, and was speedily secured.

"Let go the jib halyards! Haul down!" said the second lieutenant, on the
forecastle, when the order to take in the jib reached him.

The hands "walked away" with the downhaul, and the jib was on the
bowsprit in an instant.

"Lay out and stow the jib!" added the officer. "Mind your eye there! The
squall is upon us!"

The roar of the squall--heard at first miles away--swept along over the
ocean, carrying a tempest of foam and spray before it, and came down
upon the Josephine. Though she carried no sail, the force of the wind
was enough to heel her down,