falling it tore away the
jib-boom also. At the same moment a tremendous sea came rolling on
astern; in the uncertain light it looked like a dark moving mountain
that was about to fall on them.

"Luff, luff a little--steady!" roared the captain, who saw the summit of
the wave toppling over the stern, and who fully appreciated the danger
of being "pooped," which means having a wave launched upon the
quarterdeck.

"Steady it is," replied the steersman.

"Look out!" shouted the captain and several of the men, simultaneously.

Every one seized hold of whatever firm object chanced to be within
reach; next moment the black billow fell like an avalanche on the poop,
and rushing along the decks, swept the waist-boat and all the loose
spars into the sea. The ship staggered under the shock, and it seemed
to every one on deck that she must inevitably founder; but in a few
seconds she recovered, the water gushed from the scuppers and sides in
cataracts, and once more they drove swiftly before the gale.

In about twenty minutes the wind moderated, and while some of the men
went aloft to clear away the wreck of the topsails and make all snug,
others went below to put on dry garments.

"That was a narrow escape, Mr Millons," remarked the captain, as he
stood by the starboard-rails.

"It was, sir," replied the mate. "It's a good job too, sir, that none
o' the 'ands were washed overboard."

"It is, indeed, Mr Millons; we've reason to be thankful for that; but
I'm sorry to see that we've lost our waist-boat."

"We've lost our spare sticks, sir," said the mate, with a lugubrious
face, while he wrung the brine out of his hair; "and I fear we've
nothink left fit to make a noo foretopmast or a jib-boom."

"True, Mr Millons; we shall have to run to the nearest port on the
African coast to refit; luckily we are not very far from it. Meanwhile,
tell Mr Markham to try the well; it is possible that we may have sprung
a leak in all this straining, and see that the wreck of the foretopmast
is cleared away. I shall go below and consult the chart; if any change
in the weather takes place, call me at once."

"Yes, sir," answered the mate, as he placed his hand to windward of his
mouth, in order to give full force to the terrific tones in which he
proceeded to issue his captain's commands.

Captain Dunning went below, and looking into Ailie's berth, nodded his
wet head several times, and smiled with his damp visage benignly--which
ac