with
a report like the discharge of a 32-pounder! That fatal flaw of wind
round the Point, which the master had foreseen, had come upon us.

Up went the trumpet to the Captain's lips, and from it issued the
bellowing call of--"Hands, 'bout ship! Ready oh, ready! Down helm,
quartermaster! Stand by to let go at the word, Mr Howard!"

"Ay, ay, sir!" came the response, faintly heard above the howl of the
wind, the thunder of the surf on the rocks to leeward, the heavy "slosh"
of a sea in over the bows, and the hair-raising slatting of the canvas
overhead.

The ship, in obedience to her lee-helm, had come up about a point, still
forging ahead, and bringing the outer extremity of the reef broad on our
lee-bow, when suddenly the canvas, with a terrific report, filled again,
and the ship careened to her bearings.

"Up helm, quartermaster, hard up with it, and let her go off again! We
shall do it yet, by Jupiter!" ejaculated the skipper, in a voice that
quivered with excitement, while the master, who had been standing close
by all the while, sprang to the wheel and lent his strength to put it
over.

"Steady the wheel," was the next order, as the ship paid off again, and
once more began to gather way; "thus and no nearer, quartermaster; keep
her full, and let her go through the water! What are you about, sir?"--
as the ship suddenly griped and the weather leach of the fore-topsail
shook.

"It is the undertow--the recoil of the surf from the reef that is
hawsing her bows up into the wind, sir," explained the master, as he
strained at the wheel, with the sweat trickling down from underneath the
rim of his hat. "There--now she falls off again--steady as you go."

As the master let go the wheel, took off his hat, and drew forth a
pocket-handkerchief to wipe his streaming visage, the end of the reef
drew fair abeam, and so close that I could almost have leaped from the
main rigging into the boil of surf that seethed and hissed and swirled
about the black fangs of rock that showed here and there above water.
But the danger was over, for as the ship went plunging and surging past
one could see how, every time she lifted, she was, as it were, dragged
bodily to windward by the strong undertow, and a minute later the reef
was astern, but fast working out on the weather quarter, showing quite
clearly how exceedingly narrow had been our escape.

"Hold on there with the anchor, Mr Howard!" shouted the skipper. The
first lieu