a holiday, so I may
as well take one when I can get it. But what's them Handles we're to
explore, Mr Fortescue? Mr Dale 'll come with us too, I'm sure; he's
fond of sleeping in a tent, ain't you, sir?"

"_Don't_ be such a fool, Brook," retorted that worthy. "If ever we get
to Valparaiso, which I think is very doubtful, I shall go home
overland."

"I am afraid that before you can do that, Mr Dale, you or someone else
will have to bridge the Atlantic," remarked Captain Staunton, as he
leisurely sipped his wine. "I am extremely sorry for the untoward event
which has interrupted our voyage, but it was one of those occurrences
which no skill or foresight could have prevented, so I think the best
thing you can do is to make as light of it as possible. Worse things
than being dismasted have happened at sea before now, and I, for one, am
sincerely thankful that we are still above water instead of beneath it,
as seemed more than likely at one time."

So saying the skipper rose, and with a bow left the saloon for the deck.

The sky still looked wild, but there were occasional momentary breaks in
it, through which the lustrous stars of the southern heavens beamed
gloriously down for an instant ere they were shut in again by the
scurrying clouds; and the sea, which now ran high, afforded a
magnificent spectacle as the huge billows raced after the ship, each
with its foaming crest a cataract of liquid fire. And as the ship
rolled, and the water washed impetuously across her decks, the dark
planking gleamed with millions of tiny fairy-like stars, which waxed and
waned with every oscillation of the vessel. The fore-mast had by this
time been made secure, and, it being too dark to work any longer to
advantage, the men were busy re-lashing the spars which had been cast
adrift in the process of overhauling and selecting those most suitable
for jury-masts. Mr Bowles, who had hurried up from the saloon after
swallowing the merest apology for a dinner, had charge of the deck; and
Captain Staunton joining him, the pair began to discuss the future with
its plans and probabilities.

Two days later saw the _Galatea_ making her way to the northward and
eastward under a very respectable jury barque-rig, which enabled her to
show her fore-topmast stay-sail, reefed fore-sail, and double-reefed
fore-topsail on the fore-mast; a main topsail with topgallant-sail over
it on the spar which did duty for a main-mast; and a reefed mizen set
u