n a
mere thunder-squall--was brewing; and, if so, I should probably have my
hands full in taking care of the felucca, with nobody to help me.
Still, so awkward a condition of affairs was preferable to that of being
delivered over to Morillo, for him to work his fiendish will upon me.

The cabin was much too hot to be comfortable, so, having quickly
conquered the feeling of depression produced by the darkness that had
preceded the lighting of the cabin lamp, I helped myself to one of
Dominguez' excellent cigars, and, lighting it, went on deck, where the
dull gleam of the lamp, issuing from the small glazed skylight, now made
quite a pleasant little patch of yellow radiance on the deck and
bulwarks immediately adjacent. I was by this time broad awake, having
secured all the rest and sleep I just then needed; so I fell to pacing
to and fro over the small patch of illuminated deck, determined to watch
the matter out.

I might have been thus engaged for about an hour, when I became aware
that the darkness was no longer so densely and oppressively profound as
it had been; there was just the faintest imaginable gleam of light in
the sky, whereby it was possible to barely distinguish that the
firmament was packed with vast, piling masses of heavy, menacing cloud.
Very gradually the light strengthened, assuming, as it did so, a
lowering, ruddy tint, until in the course of half an hour the whole sky
had the appearance that is seen when it reflects a great but distant
conflagration. And now I knew of a surety that a hurricane was brewing;
for that fearful ruddy light in the sky was the self-same appearance
that I had once before beheld when in the _Althea's_ gig I had been
attempting to make my way to Bermuda. There was no mistaking the sign,
for it was one that, once seen, could never be forgotten.

And now, the storm-fiend having unfurled his fiery banner, and thus
given warning of impending war, my time of inaction was over; for there
was plenty to do before the felucca could be considered as prepared to
engage in the coming struggle. And, at the best, the preparation could
only be a partial one; for the craft was not only small, she was old,
crazy, and miserably weak for the ordeal that lay before her; and it was
not in my power to remedy so serious a defect as tint. All that I could
do was to take in the great lateen sail and secure it, and substitute
for it, if I could, some very much smaller piece of canvas, that, wh