rned to the west than heavy weather
came on. The seas rolled in vast watery heights one after the other in
quick succession, so that no sooner had the frigate risen to the foaming
summit of one high wave, than she sank down into the other, surrounded
by dark, watery precipices, which looked as if they must break on board
and overwhelm her. Ben, as he stood on the deck of the big ship of
which he had become so proud, and watched the succession of the
mountainous seas on every side, felt how insignificant she was, how
helpless were all on board, unless trusting in the protection of God.
Now she would slowly climb up the top of a huge sea; there she would
remain, other seas following and seeming to chase the one on which she
rode; then down again she would glide into the valley, once more to rise
to the crest of another sea. If the spectacle was grand and awful in
the daytime, much more so was it at night, when the ship went rushing on
into darkness, no one knowing what she was to encounter ahead. The
danger was not only imaginary, but real, for she was already in the
latitude of icebergs, which, at that season of the year, float far away
north from their original positions.

The captain had charged all on deck to keep a very sharp look-out, and
Mr Charlton had said to Ben, "You have as bright a pair of eyes as
anybody on board. Keep them wide open, and if you see anything like a
glimmer of light through the darkness, and feel the cold greater than
before, sing out sharply, there will be an iceberg ahead."

Ben resolved to do as he was told, but he did not think it likely that a
little fellow like himself could be of much use. He would naturally
have been very much alarmed had he been by himself in such a position,
but he saw every one round him cool and collected, and he therefore felt
free from fear. The four hours of his watch had nearly expired. He had
been all the time peering into the darkness, thinking more than once
that he saw what he had been told to look out for. Mr Martin and three
or four of the best men in the ship were on the forecastle with him, all
likewise looking out. Suddenly he saw what appeared like a huge sheet
shaken before him by invisible hands, and a chill struck his cheek.
This was what he was to look for. He sang out lustily, "An iceberg
ahead--right ahead!"

"Starboard the helm!" sang out a voice from aft; and at those words the
sheets and traces were flattened aft, while every ma