he black headland called Malin,
where, as the wind still held westerly, the welcome order was given to
ship oars and spread all canvas for the Scottish coast.

Ludar alone looked grave when the order came, and pointed to the
furious, livid swirl of purple clouds that crowded round the setting
sun.

"I have seen yon sky before," said he, "often when I was a boy. And
they taught us, when we saw it, to pray the saints for those at sea."

"May be there are saints ashore who see it and pray for us to-night,"
said I.

"There had need be," said he, solemnly.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

HOW WE CAME INTO CALM WATER AFTER ALL.

Ludar's forecast was destined to a swift and sudden fulfilment. The red
glare was scarcely out of the west when the wind began to howl and
whistle through our rigging with a presage of the tempest that was to
come. What was of worse omen still, the long streamer on the main-mast,
which hitherto had spread due eastward, now suddenly flapped to south-
east, showing that the gale was coming upon us from the one quarter we
had most cause to dread, namely, the north-west.

For, as Ludar well knew by this time, unless we could keep the
_Gerona's_ head out so as to clear the far Antrim Headlands of Bengore
and Benmore, we ran the peril of being driven in on an iron-bound shore,
which had short shrift and little mercy for such as fell upon it.

The danger soon became manifest to others beside Ludar, and once again
the oars were ordered out and the ship's head put across the wind.

Ludar and I were among the party of cursing and mutinous rowers whose
turn it was to be relieved, and we were about to crawl below for a
snatch of repose, when a messenger came from Don Alonzo bidding Ludar
attend him.

"Come with me," said Ludar, and we followed the man.

Don Alonzo, who, from the moment he could stand upright, had resumed his
post of command, stood in his cabin, pale and stern, surrounded by his
officers, who, by their uneasy study of the charts before them, were
plainly alive to the peril that threatened the ship.

"Sir Ludar," said he, "your presence on board is not without a fortunate
meaning for us. The account betwixt us runs high already. I have no
means to pay you, but by demanding a further service at your hands. You
know this Irish coast well?"

"I have sailed from Malin Head to Cantire in an open galley many a time
as a boy," said Ludar.

"And you know specially the coast about your fat