it over with the captain,
before I went down, and we both agreed that, as the centre of the
hurricane is undoubtedly moving to the northeast, we must have gone
a good many miles in that direction.

"Of course, there is no means of determining how far till we can
get a glimpse of the sun; but there is no doubt that, if the gale
continues, we shall soon be in a very perilous position, for we
must be driving towards the Andamans. We may have the luck to pass
north of them, or to go between them.

"We tried, last night, to get up a little more sail; but she would
not stand it, and we were obliged to take it off again. So we can
do nothing but hope for the best."

Two hours later, Fairclough came out again.

"I am afraid that you have not been to sleep," Harry said.

"No. I am all the better for the rest, but sleep was out of the
question.

"How is she heading now, Mr. Hardy?"

"Northeast, sir."

Fairclough took his telescope from the rack in the companion and,
slinging it over his shoulder, mounted the ratlines to the top.

"Have you made out anything?" he asked the sailor stationed there.

"I have thought, once or twice, sir, that I saw land ahead; but I
could not say for certain. It is so thick that it is only when the
clouds open a bit that one has a chance."

Although he had taken his glass with him, Fairclough did not
attempt to use it, at present; but stood gazing fixedly ahead. A
quarter of an hour later there was a sudden rift in the clouds, and
a low shore was visible, some five or six miles ahead; and a dark
mass, much farther off, rising into the cloud. Fairclough instantly
unslung the telescope, and adjusted it. A minute afterwards the
clouds closed in again and, telling the man to keep a sharp
lookout, he descended to the deck.

"We must set the main top-sail on her again, close reefed, of
course. We are running straight for land and, unless I am much
mistaken, it is the great Andaman. There is a lofty hill, some
distance back from the shore. I only caught a glimpse of its lower
part, but none of the small islands have any hill to speak of. The
shore is about six miles off and, as the peak lies about the centre
of the island, and as this is a hundred and forty miles long, we
are some seventy miles from the northern point.

"You know what that means. However, we must do all that we can, to
keep her off."

"Ay, ay, sir," Hardy said, turning without another word, and then
gave orders to the men