ady for hoisting it when I give the word!"

Jackson, to whom this latter order was addressed, immediately went
forwards on the forecastle, accompanied by a couple of other men;
although the three found it a serious matter to escape the thick green
seas the vessel took in over her bows as she dived into the trough of
the waves, washing the decks fore and aft. After a struggle, however,
they managed to climb out to their station, getting the fore-staysail
ready to haul up as the captain had commanded, although he only meant to
use it in case the topsail carried away as we wore ship, which was very
possible.

Then, watching our opportunity when the _Josephine_ was rising on the
crest of a gigantic wave that had rolled up astern to poop her, but had
fortunately instead passed underneath her keel, the helm was put up and
the fore-yards easied round.

She answered the rudder; but one sea came in over her quarter just when
she was fully exposed to the side force of the wind. Luckily, however,
everything held; and, as the foretop-sail got gradually taken aback the
mizzen staysail drew, casting her stern round, so that her head at last
faced the wind and sea. The vessel plunged fearfully, but held her own
grandly, not falling off again as we all expected.

"By Jingo, she's a beauty!" exclaimed the captain in high delight at the
success of the manoeuvre. "I never saw a ship behave better in my life!
I was frightened of her at one time, I confess."

"So was I," said Mr Marline, much relieved by our now being hove-to and
better prepared to meet any change of wind. "She's all right now,
though!"

He had spoken too quickly, however, "counting his chickens before they
were hatched," according to the old proverb; for, no sooner had he got
out the words than for one single instant the gale lulled, coming to a
dead stand-still, and the very next moment it began to blow from the
exactly opposite direction--the storm proceeding now from the north-west
quadrant instead of the south-east, and the headquarters of our fresh
assailant being the thick bank of black clouds we had noticed in front
of our previous position before wearing ship low down on the horizon.

We had evidently only got round in the very nick of time.

Otherwise, there is little doubt that the _Josephine_, meeting the wind
from this new quarter full butt, would have been taken aback. Now, from
her change of position it struck her aft, making her scud again befo