ands in the interior. They agreed that they would be
better off at sea than roasting on shore, and so, getting on board, they
hove up the anchor and made all sail to the westward.

"Paddy," said Murray, as they were walking the deck after dinner, almost
gasping for breath, "I don't quite like the look of the weather; what do
you think of it?"

"That we should stand by to shorten sail at a moment's notice," answered
Adair. "See that white line of foam curling away over the glassy
surface of the water out there. Here it comes."

"I see it. All hands shorten sail!" shouted Murray, as he and Adair ran
to help execute the order. They were but just in time when the tornado
came thundering down upon them. The main and peak-halyards were let go,
and the mainsail was handed while the topsail and jib-sheets were let
fly, and round spun the vessel, almost capsizing as she did so, for the
foresail was not yet brailed up. It was hard work to brail it up,
fluttering as it was in the gale, but at length away she flew before the
gale. Some people have an idea that the climate on the coast of Africa
is all sunshine and heat. Hot enough it is, but at the same time the
sky is often dark, lowering and gloomy in the extreme. Nothing can have
a more depressing effect than the atmosphere at such times on all not
thoroughly acclimated to it. Everything was made snug on board, but for
three entire days they could scarcely show a stitch of sail, while the
little vessel tumbled about so much that it was with difficulty they
could light a fire for a short time in the caboose. They got some salt
beef boiled, and then a sea came in and put the fire out, and though
they tried hard, they could not light it again. However, the beef was
pretty well done, and lasted them some days. Murray and Adair passed
the time as they best could. They had but a small supply of books. The
cabin was so close and hot, and on the deck the wind blew so hard, that
it was a somewhat difficult undertaking to attempt to read. They did
not manage therefore to add much to their stock of knowledge during the
period of the gale. The vessel, however, happily held together, and at
the end of three days the weather gave signs of moderating.

"That's a comfort," exclaimed Adair, as once more they were able to make
sail, and the schooner, with everything she could carry, was put on her
proper course; "it will be hard if we do not reach Sierra Leone before
long now