the ending of any one who should get
overboard that night. The sudden splash, the warm water about the body,
and the heads of the fellows at the rail starting to pull the unfortunate
aboard. Then the sudden grisly clutch from below, and the dragging down
out of sight and sound forever.

I began to actually reckon the amount of arsenic I should put into a
chunk of beef to trick the giant at his last meal.

"Sharp lightning on port bow, sir," came the news from the forward; for,
although I was supposed to be able to see well enough, I had taught the
men of my watch to sing out at everything unusual, more to be certain
that they were awake than anything else.

I looked up from the black depths and my unpleasant reflections, and
gazed to the southward. As I did so, several sharp flashes showed upon
the dark horizon. It looked as if something were raising fast, and I
stepped below a moment to see the glass. It was down to twenty-eight.
Going on deck at once, I bawled for the watch to clew down the
main-topgallantsail. In a moment the men were swarming up the main
rigging, and the sail was let go by the run, the yard settling nicely,
while the clews, buntlines, and leachlines were hauled down in unison.

"Mizzen topsail!" I cried.

The watch came up the poop ladders with a rush and tramping of feet that
sounded ominously loud for the work on so quiet a night. The yelling of
the men at the braces coupled with the tramping aroused Captain Thompson
in spite of his liquor, and he came up the after-companion to see what
was the matter.

"Hey, there, hey!" he bawled. "What are you doing, Rolling? Are you
coming to an anchor already? Have I been asleep six months, and is this
the Breakwater ahead? No? Well, do you expect to get to port without
canvas on the ship? Split me, but I thought you knew how to sail a boat
when you signed on as mate. Don't come any of these grandmother tricks on
me, hey? I won't have it. Don't make a fool of yourself before these men.
Get that topsail up again quicker'n hell can scorch a feather, or I'll be
taking a hand, see! I'll be taking a hand. Jump lively, you dogs!" he
roared, as he finished.

The topsail was swayed up again, the men silent and sullen with this
extra work. Then came the order for the t'gallantsail, and by the
time that was mastheaded, the skipper followed with orders for
royals, fore and aft.

During the time these affairs were going on upon the ship, the southern
horizon wa