huge bluff.

What was it the captain said in his little lecture? "When a ship meets
a cyclone north of the equator on a westerly course she nearly always
has the wind at first on the port side, but, owing to the revolution of
the gale, when she passes its center the wind is on the starboard
side."

Yes, that was right, as far as the first part was concerned. Evidently
they had not yet passed the central path. Oh, dear! She was so tired.
It demanded a physical effort to constantly shove away an unseen force
that tried to push you over. How funny that a big cloud should travel
up against the wind! And so, amidst confused wonderment, she lapsed
into an uneasy slumber, her last sentient thought being a quiet
thankfulness that the screw went thud-thud, thud-thud with such firm
determination.

After the course was changed and the _Sirdar_ bore away towards
the south-west, the commander consulted the barometer each half-hour.
The tell-tale mercury had sunk over two inches in twelve hours. The
abnormally low pressure quickly created dense clouds which enhanced the
melancholy darkness of the gale.

For many minutes together the bows of the ship were not visible.
Masthead and sidelights were obscured by the pelting scud. The engines
thrust the vessel forward like a lance into the vitals of the storm.
Wind and wave gushed out of the vortex with impotent fury.

At last, soon after midnight, the barometer showed a slight upward
movement. At 1.30 a.m. the change became pronounced; simultaneously the
wind swung round a point to the westward.

Then Captain Ross smiled wearily. His face brightened. He opened his
oilskin coat, glanced at the compass, and nodded approval.

"That's right," he shouted to the quartermaster at the steam-wheel.
"Keep her steady there, south 15 west."

"South 15 west it is, sir," yelled the sailor, impassively watching the
moving disk, for the wind alteration necessitated a little less help
from the rudder to keep the ship's head true to her course.

Captain Ross ate some sandwiches and washed them down with cold tea. He
was more hungry than he imagined, having spent eleven hours without
food. The tea was insipid. He called through a speaking-tube for a
further supply of sandwiches and some coffee.

Then he turned to consult a chart. He was joined by the chief officer.
Both men examined the chart in silence.

Captain Ross finally took a pencil. He stabbed its point on the paper
in the neighborhoo