ollie looked
for her father, and with Noddy's help she found him in the hold,
senseless in his inebriation. Mr. Lincoln was called down, and he was
conveyed to his berth. The liquor was thrown overboard, but it was too
late; before dark the gale broke upon the Roebuck, and fear and
trembling were again in the vessel.

CHAPTER XVI.

NIGHT AND STORM.

Sudden and severe was the gale which came down upon the Roebuck, while
her captain was besotted and helpless in his berth. Mr. Lincoln did all
that a skilful seaman could do, and while the wind and the waves were
the only perils against which the schooner had to contend, there was no
serious alarm for her safety. The night had come, and the time had
passed by when even Captain McClintock could do anything more than the
mate.

Mr. Lincoln had kept the "dead reckoning" as well as he could without
any knowledge of the currents; and it was evident that the vessel was in
a perilous situation, and not far distant from the region of islands and
coral reefs. The first hours of the stormy night wore gloomily away, for
none knew at what moment the schooner might be dashed to pieces upon
some hidden rock.

When the captain revived a little from the stupor of intoxication, he
seemed not to heed the situation of the vessel. Taking the cabin
lantern, he went into the hold again. His only thought seemed to be of
the liquor on which he lived. All the cases that Mollie and Noddy could
find had been thrown overboard; but the drunkard overhauled the cargo
till he found what he wanted, and taking a bottle of gin to his
state-room, he was soon as senseless as the fiery fluid could make him.

Mollie did all that she could do under these trying circumstances; she
prayed that the good Father who had saved them before, would be with
them now; and she knew that the strong arm of Omnipotence could move far
from them the perils with which they were surrounded. She felt better
every time she prayed. But the storm increased in fury, and she knew not
the purposes of the Infinite in regard to them.

"I am afraid we shall never see the light of another day, Noddy," said
she, as the great seas struck with stunning force against the side of
the vessel.

"Why not? We have been out in a worse gale than this," replied Noddy,
who felt that it was his peculiar office to keep hope alive in the
heart of his gentle companion.

"But we may be in the midst of the rocks and shoals."

"We shall do v