dejected, about the deck, and let disease do what it pleased with him.

The surgeon shook his head and told Hudson the parson was booked.

"And good riddance of bad rubbish!" was that worthy's gracious comment.

The ship now encountered an adverse gale, and for three whole days was
under close-reefed topsails; she was always a wet ship under stress of
weather, and she took in a good deal of water on this occasion. On the
fourth day it fell calm, and Captain Hudson, having examined the well and
found three feet of water, ordered the men to the pumps.

After working through one watch the well was sounded again, and the water
was so much reduced that the gangs were taken off; and the ship being now
becalmed and the weather lovely, the men were allowed to dance upon deck
to the boatswain's fiddle.

While this pastime went on, the sun, large and red, reached the horizon,
and diffused a roseate light over the entire ocean.

Not one of the current descriptions of heaven approached the actual
grandeur and beauty of the blue sky, flecked with ruby and gold, and its
liquid mirror that lay below, calm, dimpled and glorified by that
translucent, rosy tint.

While the eye was yet charmed with this enchanting bridal of the sea and
sky, and the ear amused with the merry fiddle and the nimble feet that
tapped the sounding deck so deftly at every note, Cooper, who had been
sounding the well, ran forward all of a sudden and flung a thunderbolt in
the midst.

"A LEAK!"

CHAPTER X.

THE fiddle ended in mid-tune, and the men crowded aft with anxious faces.

The captain sounded the well and found three feet and a half water in it.
He ordered all hands to the pumps.

They turned to with a good heart, and pumped, watch and watch, till
daybreak.

Their exertions counteracted the leak, but did no more; the water in the
well was neither more nor less, perceptibly.

This was a relief to their minds, so far; but the situation was a very
serious one. Suppose foul weather should come, and the vessel ship water
from above as well!

Now all those who were not on the pumps set to work to find out the leak
and stop it if possible. With candles in their hands they crept about the
ribs of the ship, narrowly inspecting every corner, and applying their
ears to every suspected place, if haply they might hear the water coming
in. The place where Hazel had found Wylie at work was examined along with
the rest; but neither there nor anywher