occasionally
heard, above the howl of the storm. The sea was broken and
irregular, leaping in masses over the bulwarks, and sweeping the
decks. The force of the wind continually tore the heads off the
waves, and carried the spray along in blinding showers.

"We are very near the eye of the hurricane," Captain Fairclough
shouted, in Lindsay's ear. "The men at the wheel tell me she has
been twice round the compass, already; but this broken sea would,
alone, tell that. We must get a little sail on the main mast, and
try to edge out of it."

A small stay sail was got out and hoisted, and the helm was put
down a little. Though still running at but a slight angle before
the wind, the pressure was now sufficient to lay her down to her
gunwale. The crew gathered under shelter of the weather bulwark,
holding on by belaying pins and stanchions.

Night had now set in, but it made little difference; for the
darkness had, before, been intense, save for the white crests of
the tossing waves. Sheets of foam blew across the deck and,
sometimes, a heavy fall of water toppled down on the crew. A
pannikin of hot soup had been served out to the men, and this would
be the last hot refreshment they would obtain, before the gale
broke; for the hatchways were all battened down, and it was
impossible to keep the fire alight.

"The best thing you can do is to turn in, Lindsay," Fairclough
said, after the former had finished his soup--a task of no slight
difficulty, under the circumstances. "You can do no good by
remaining up."

"How long is it likely to last?"

"Probably for two or three days, possibly longer."

"I will take your advice," Harry said. "I shall be glad to get
these wet clothes off."

For a time, he was sorry that he had lain down, for the motion was
so violent that he could, with difficulty, keep himself in his
berth. Being, however, completely worn out by the buffeting of the
gale, the efforts required to hold on, the excitement of the fire
and storm, it was not long before he dropped off to sleep; and he
did not wake up until a ray of dim light showed that the morning
was breaking. The motion of the ship was unabated and after, with
great difficulty, getting into his clothes, he went up on deck.

Except that the clouds were somewhat more broken, there was no
change. Dark masses of vapour flew overhead, torn and ragged. The
wild tumble of waves rose and fell, without order or regularity.
Forward, the bulwark on both