bright morning, the sky without a
scrap of vapour to obscure its lucent expanse, and the sea lit up with
golden sunshine that made it appear bluer somehow or other; but, even
while Captain Miles and Mr Marline were speaking, a low bank of cloud
arose along the eastern horizon, and this, spreading gradually up
towards the zenith, soon shut out the half-risen sun and his rays,
casting a sombre tinge at the same time on the ocean below.

"All hands shorten sail!" shouted the captain, and the studding-sail
halliards being let go by the run, the _Josephine_, which a moment
before had looked like a bird with outspread wings, had these latter
clipped off in a jiffey, the light sails bagging with the wind like
balloons as they were hauled down; and, soon afterwards, the booms
projecting from the yard-arms on which they had been rigged out, were
sent below and laid with the other spare spars along the bulwarks in the
waist.

While the crew were busy at this task, the strong breeze, which but a
short time before had filled our canvas, gradually died away until there
did not seem to be a puff of air stirring, the larger sails now hanging
loose or else flapping idly against the masts.

Captain Miles, however, did not stop merely at taking in the studding-
sails, for the royals were next furled as well as the topgallant-sails;
and then, under reefed topsails and courses, in addition to her jib and
spanker which were still set, he awaited what the weather might have in
store for his vessel. An experienced seaman, such as he was, when
forewarned, as in the present instance, by a falling barometer, always
prepares for eventualities of the worst possible character, never
leaving anything to chance or neglecting to take proper precautions. By
not doing so many a gallant ship with all hands on board is lost through
the carelessness of bad navigators.

The cloud in the east, meanwhile, rose higher in the heavens, showing a
bit of clear sky for a moment at its base, when it began to travel
towards the ship at great speed, but in a very eccentric fashion,
whirling round and looking as if it were dancing on the surface of the
water.

"I can't make it out," said Mr Marline in a puzzled sort of way.
"There must be a good deal of wind at the back of it; but, why doesn't
it keep a straight course towards us, eh sir?"

"It's a whirlwind, I fancy," replied Captain Miles; "I've seen a good
many in the South Atlantic, near the African coast