cifixion. The other watch plunged down on the main deck to haul
up the sail. Men's heads bobbed up as the water flung them irresistibly
from side to side. Mr. Baker grunted encouragingly in our midst,
spluttering and blowing amongst the tangled ropes like an energetic
porpoise. Favoured by an ominous and untrustworthy lull, the work was
done without any one being lost either off the deck or from the yard.
For the moment the gale seemed to take off, and the ship, as if grateful
for our efforts, plucked up heart and made better weather of it.

At eight the men off duty, watching their chance, ran forward over the
flooded deck to get some rest. The other half of the crew remained aft
for their turn of "seeing her through her trouble," as they expressed
it. The two mates urged the master to go below. Mr. Baker grunted in his
ear:--"Ough! surely now... Ough!... confidence in us... nothing more to
do... she must lay it out or go.

"Ough! Ough!" Tall young Mr. Creighton smiled down at him
cheerfully:--"...She's as right as a trivet! Take a spell, sir." He
looked at them stonily with bloodshot, sleepless eyes. The rims of his
eyelids were scarlet, and he moved his jaws unceasingly with a slow
effort, as though he had been masticating a lump of india-rubber. He
shook his head. He repeated:--"Never mind me. I must see it out--I must
see it out," but he consented to sit down for a moment on the skylight,
with his hard face turned unflinchingly to windward. The sea spat at
it--and stoical, it streamed with water as though he had been weeping. On
the weather side of the poop the watch, hanging on to the mizen rigging
and to one another, tried to exchange encouraging words. Singleton, at
the wheel, yelled out:--"Look out for yourselves!" His voice reached them
in a warning whisper. They were startled.

A big, foaming sea came out of the mist; it made for the ship, roaring
wildly, and in its rush it looked as mischievous and discomposing as
a madman with an axe. One or two, shouting, scrambled up the rigging;
most, with a convulsive catch of the breath, held on where they stood.
Singleton dug his knees under the wheel-box, and carefully eased the
helm to the headlong pitch of the ship, but without taking his eyes
off the coming wave. It towered close-to and high, like a wall of green
glass topped with snow. The ship rose to it as though she had soared on
wings, and for a moment rested poised upon the foaming crest as if she
had been