f lending his ears to the deep powerful call just mentioned,
he rather stood contemplating his work, than exhibiting any anxiety as to
the effect it might produce on the minds of those beneath him. But a
second warning came in tones too terrible to be any longer disregarded by
ears even as dull as those of the offender.

"By whose order have you dared to loosen the sail?" demanded the Rover.

"By the order of King Wind, your Honour. The best seaman must give in,
when a squall gets the upper hand."

"Furl it! away aloft, and furl it!" shouted the excited leader. "Roll it
up; and send the fellow down who has been so bold as to own any authority
but my own in this ship, though it were that of a hurricane."

A dozen nimble topmen ascended to the assistance of Fid. In another
minute, the unruly canvas was secured, and Richard himself was on his way
to the poop. During this brief interval, the brow of the Rover was dark
and angry as the surface of the element on which he lived, when blackened
by the tempest. Wilder, who had never before seen his new Commander thus
excited, began to tremble for the fate of his ancient comrade, and drew
nigher, as the latter approached, to intercede in his favour, should the
circumstances seem to require such an interposition.

"And why is this?" the still stern and angry leader demanded of the
offender. "Why is it that you, whom I have had such recent reason to
applaud, should dare to let fly a sail, at a moment when it is important
to keep the ship naked?"

"Your Honour will admit that his rations sometimes slips through the best
man's fingers, and why not a bit of canvas?" deliberately returned the
delinquent "If I took a turn too many of the gasket off the yard, it is a
fault I am ready to answer for."

"You say true, and dearly shall you pay the forfeit Take him to the
gangway, and let him make acquaintance with the cat."

"No new acquaintance, your Honour, seeing that we have met before, and
that, too, for matters which I had reason to hide my head for; whereas,
here, it may be many blows, and little shame."

"May I intercede in behalf of the offender?" interrupted Wilder, with
earnestness and haste. "He is often blundering, but rarely would he err,
had he as much knowledge as good-will."

"Say nothing about it, master Harry," returned the topman, with a peculiar
glance of his eye. "The sail has been flying finely, and it is now too
late to deny it: and so, I suppose, the fact m