f the coast where we should not to a certainty be made
prisoners of war."

I agreed with Delisle. To anchor would be our only resource, but one on
which I feared we could place very little reliance. The anchors might
hold; but with the whole roll of the Atlantic tumbling in on us, and the
terrific gale there was already blowing, and every instant increasing, I
felt that there was small chance of their so doing. Dark and darker
grew the night, higher and higher rose the sea, and fiercer and more
furious blew the wind. Still the stout ship struggled bravely on; her
lee-side pressed deep into the water, while torrents of foam broke over
her weather-bow and deluged us fore and aft. It seemed doubtful indeed
whether the masts would long stand the tremendous strain put upon them.
High above the roaring of the tempest was occasionally heard the ominous
voice of the man in the chains as he sung out the depth of water in
which we floated, showing that we were slowly though surely shallowing
it.

That dark and terrific night will not easily pass from my memory.
Captain Hudson had ordered the cables to be ranged in readiness to
anchor. The carpenter and his crew were sent for, and ordered to
prepare for the last desperate expedient of cutting away the masts.
Every now and then, as a bright flash of lightning darted from the sky,
they might be seen with their gleaming axes uplifted, ready at a moment
to execute the fatal order. Everybody was on deck, for our danger was
apparent to all.

"What shall we have to do?" asked little Harry Sumner, as he stood
shivering with the cold by my side.

"Obey orders and trust in Providence, my boy," said I. "If the anchors
don't hold and the ship goes to pieces, we may have to swim for it, and
then, Harry, keep an eye on me, and if I can lend you a helping hand, I
will. I must not promise too much, for I may not be able to help
myself."

"Thank you, Hurry, thank you. Oh, I am sure you will do all you can for
me," said the boy gratefully.

The coolest man on board was the captain. He stood on the weather-side
of the quarter-deck, one hand holding on by a stanchion, the other
grasping his speaking-trumpet, his hair streaming from beneath his hat,
and his coat-tails fluttering in the gale. I love to picture our brave
commander as he appeared at that moment, when he knew the lives of
hundreds depended on his calmness and decision.

"By the deep nine," was heard from the man in th