th the hold full of water, and four feet of it on
deck amidships that surged from one rail to the other as the craft
rolled, pouring over and coming back. All hatches were ripped off, and
our three boats were carried away from their chocks on the house.

"Six men were clearing themselves from their lashings at the fore
rigging, and three more, who had gone overboard with the first sea, and
had caught the upper gear to be lifted as the craft righted, were
coming down, while the professor still declaimed from the alley.

"'Hang on all,' I yelled; 'there's another sea coming.'

"It came, but passed over us without doing any more damage, and though
a fourth, fifth, and sixth followed, each was of lesser force than the
last, and finally it was safe to leave the rail and wade about, though
we still rolled rails under in what was left of the turmoil.

"Luckily, there was no wind, though I never understood why, for
earthquakes are usually accompanied by squalls. However, even with
wind, our canvas would have been no use to us; for, waterlogged as we
were, we couldn't have made a knot an hour, nor could we have steered,
even with all sail set. All we could hope for was the appearance of
some craft that would tow the ripped and shivered hull to port, or at
least take us off.

"So, while I searched for the ax, and the professor searched into the
depths under the main hatch for signs of his menagerie--all drowned,
surely--the remnant of the crew lowered the foresail and jibs, stowing
them as best they could.

"I found the ax, and found it just in time; for I was attacked by what
could have been nothing but a small-sized sea serpent, that had been
hove up to the surface and washed aboard us. It was only about six feet
long, but it had a mouth like a bulldog, and a row of spikes along its
back that could have sawed a man's leg off.

"I managed to kill it before it harmed me, and chucked it overboard
against the protests of the professor, who averred that I took no
interest in science.

"'No, I don't,' I said to him. 'I've other things to think of. And you,
too. You'd better go below and clean up your instruments, or you'll
find them ruined by salt water.'

"He looked sorrowfully and reproachfully at me, and started to wade
aft; but he halted at the forward companion, and turned, for a scream
of agony rang out from the forecastle deck, where the men were coming
in from the jibs, and I saw one of them writhing on his back,
a