en it a
severe nip.

The lead-line betokened fifty fathoms where the frigate had cast anchor.
The sails hung in the brails. Captain Hemming was on the watch for the
slightest flaw of wind which might enable him to get out of his
dangerous position. The boats were still kept ahead; the rest of the
crew were at their stations, the marines and idlers ready to pull and
haul. It was a time of breathless anxiety. No one could tell what
might next happen. Spider might have fancied that the eyes turned aloft
were directed at him, instead of towards the sluggish royals. Wistfully
he gazed at the green branches, but he was too wise a monkey to suppose
that he could reach them. Still, with his tail curled under it, he sat
on the truck, as comfortably posted as he could desire.

Scarcely a word was uttered only occasionally Stella and her father
exchanged observations. The colonel seemed positively to enjoy the
anxiety.

"Ah! now we have an example of what strict discipline can accomplish,"
he said. "Spaniards or Frenchmen would have given way to despair and
lost their ship. These fine fellows will save theirs, though they would
have been wiser to have taken the wider passage. Would that I had a
thousand or two of such: there might be better hope for the regeneration
of South America."

"You will succeed in spite of all difficulties," said Stella, looking up
into her father's face with a proud, fond glance; "you will conquer
them."

Ten, twenty minutes went slowly by, the bright sun beating down fiercely
on deck, and on the heads of the people in the boats, till they felt as
if their brains were frying. Mr Cherry sent the dingy ahead with a
breaker of water to them. It was drained to the last drop. Suddenly
the royals were seen slowly to bulge out; the topgallant-sails followed
their example.

"Let fall! sheet home!" cried the captain, and on the word the whole
crew were set in motion, those on deck tramping along at headlong speed
with the sheets in their hands.

"Slip the cable, starboard the helm!" were the next orders. Adair
shouted to those in the boats to pull ahead. The chain ran out as the
ship slowly gathered way with her head across the channel, and she began
to move off from the threatening cliffs. In the course of a few minutes
she had gained the centre of the passage, when steering south she
re-entered the gulf, and came to anchor. Here she remained, the boats
having been sent to recover the