l at once bellied out in puckered folds, banging about as if it would
soon thump the mast out of the ship.

"Now, tumble down smart, men!" cried the captain. "Look alive and bring
the sheets to the capstan."

Then, in a few more minutes, foot by foot, the clew-garnet blocks
rattling the while like a lot of tin kettles, the ends of the mainsail
were hove in nearer the deck, when it became fairly distended before the
powerful breeze, which, catching it now full, seemed to make the
_Josephine_ leap out of the water as if she were going to fly--although,
the next instant, she dived down with a heavy plunge forwards that sent
a great green sea right over her bows on to the forecastle, whence it
poured down like a cataract into the waist, flooding the main-deck and
floating aft everything movable into the cabin.

We had already two men at the wheel, a vessel running before the wind
being always more unmanageable than when sailing close-hauled or on a
bowline; but this additional sail-power made the ship yaw and break off
so continuously that two more hands had to come and help the others in
the steering. It was ticklish work; for, if she were once allowed to
broach to, one of the pursuing waves would soon leap over the taffrail,
and then it would be a case for us!

The rest of the crew, too, were set to work rigging up relieving tackle,
in case the tiller ropes should part; for, one moment the stern would be
lifted high out of the water and the next sunk in the trough of the sea,
causing a great strain on the rudder, which banged from port to
starboard every instant, causing constant work in putting the helm up
and down so as to preserve a straight course.

Preventer stays were also set up to take away some of the leverage from
the masts, everything being made as snug as possible under the
circumstances; and so, we drove on before the gale, going wheresoever it
liked, until, as the captain said, it had time to blow itself out--
although there did not seem any early prospect of this at present!

During all the bustle that was going on, I had managed to remain on deck
unperceived; but now that matters had calmed down and nothing more
urgent called for attention, Captain Miles, looking round the poop,
caught sight of me.

"Hullo, Tom!" he cried, "what are you doing here? You ought to have
been in your bunk hours ago."

"I only stopped up to see the storm," I said. "Mr Marline saw me on
deck some time since and said