latitudes, I feels
as we are in for a tough job."

The conversation was broken off, abruptly, by the call of the first
mate.

"All hands aloft to shorten sail!"

"The bells is ringing up for the beginning of the performance,
Reuben. Here goes aloft!"

The next minute the whole of the crew were climbing the shrouds,
for the watch off duty were all on deck, and the order was
expected; for the signs of the weather could, by this time, be read
by every sailor on board. Above, the sky was still bright and blue;
but around the whole circle of the horizon, a mist seemed to hang
like a curtain.

"Smartly, lads, smartly," the captain shouted; "don't hurry over
your work, but do it with a will.

"I hope we have not left it too long, Mr. James. I have held on
longer than I ought, for every mile we get away from land is an
advantage, and we have been running nearly due south, ever since I
noticed the first falling of the glass when we got up in the
morning."

"I think we shall have time, sir," the mate said. "We are going to
have it, and no mistake, presently; but it don't seem to be coming
up fast."

"The glass is going down rapidly," the captain said. "It's down an
inch already, and is still falling.

"Mr. Mason," he went on, to the officer in command of the
detachment of marines, "will you kindly place your men under the
orders of Mr. James? I am going to send down all the upper spars,
and they can be useful on deck."

Never was the Paramatta stripped more rapidly of her sails, for
every man was conscious of the urgency of the work. As soon as the
sails were furled, the yards were sent down. The upper spars
followed them and, in little over half an hour from the time the
men began to ascend the shrouds, the Paramatta was metamorphosed.
Her tall tapering masts and lofty spread of sail were gone. Every
spar above the topmasts had been sent down to the deck; and she lay
under close-reefed topsails, a stay sail, and a storm jib. The
captain gave a sigh of relief, as the men began to descend the
rigging.

"Thank God, that is safely accomplished. Now we are in readiness
for whatever may come."

He dived into his cabin, and returned almost immediately.

"The glass has fallen another half inch, Mr. James," he said
gravely. "I have never but once seen it as low.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he went on, addressing the passengers, who
were gathered in a group, talking in low tones and anxiously
watching the wall of vapou