to save sinners.

The men, and even the captain and mate, were more silent than usual,
though when they did speak they gave utterance to the same oaths which
had so often issued out of their mouths.

It was trying work on deck, and when Peter's watch was over, wet and
weary he was glad to go below; but when he lay down in his narrow berth,
the fearful blows which struck again and again on the bows of the ship
prevented him from sleeping. When he did at last drop off he was
quickly aroused by another blow, heavier than the former, which made him
fancy that the brig must have struck a rock; but on she again went,
battling her way across the stormy ocean.

The gale was increasing. At night, when he had again to go on deck, the
seas, though not so clearly visible as during the day, appeared much
higher, and threatened every instant to roll down upon the deck and
sweep every one off it. The fore-hatch was battened down, the crew
collected aft. When day dawned their faces looked pale and anxious, and
even Captain Hawkes and old Jim seemed to wish that the gale was over.
Peter heard the mate report to the captain that he had sounded the well,
and feared that the brig had sprung a leak. The pumps were rigged, and
the crew set to work on them. The quantity of clear water which came up
left no doubt about the matter. The men grumbled and swore, but worked
away. Peter was ordered to take his spell, and even old Jim and the
captain took theirs. All day long they worked away, and at night also.
No fire could be lighted in the caboose, for the seas broke so heavily
over the bows of the ship that they dashed in upon the fore-hatchway.
Such provisions as could be eaten without cooking were their only fare.
Peter wished to read the Bible to his shipmates, but the spray broke
over them in such dense showers that the leaves would have been wetted
through in an instant. He could recollect, however, many portions, and
great was the comfort they gave him. When he ventured to repeat them
aloud to those crouched down under the bulwarks near him, they told him
to be silent; it was not the time, with a gale blowing, to trouble them
with his notions.

"But where should we be if the brig does go down?" he asked, for he saw
the too great probability of that event occurring to make him hesitate
about speaking.

The men told him to hold his tongue and not trouble them. Numbers do
the same when warned of danger not more imminent than