ch rose
higher and higher. Hamet ordered sail at once to be taken in--not a
moment too soon, for down came the gale, and the stout ship heeled over
to it. The _Tiger_, however, still kept to the southward. At last the
gale increased to such an extent that the Captain ordered her to be
hove-to. Roger looked out for the stranger, but she was nowhere to be
seen. That danger was escaped, but the question was how the
slightly-built rover would endure the tempest. They might have run for
a port on the Barbary coast, but that was a long way off, and no other
would afford them shelter; for as their hands had turned against every
nation, so every nation was a foe. Night came on, and as there was no
good in their remaining on deck, Roger and Stephen went to their cabin.
Poor Jumbo soon made his way there.

"Oh dear, me tink we go to de bottom," he said. "Wish we had stayed on
shore; all my doing too, for if I no say you knew how to manage de ship,
Hamet not bring you."

"You acted for the best, Jumbo, and I do not blame you. We must hope to
escape this danger and make our escape another time. Remember that we
do intend to make our escape, if we can, on board the first vessel the
pirate gets alongside. It will be somewhat hazardous, but it is our
only chance. You must try and escape also, and I hope that Sam will,
though it would be more difficult for him, as he has to fight with the
rest of the crew."

Jumbo shook his head; he evidently thought Roger's plan impracticable.
All night long the tempest howled, the ship was tossed to and fro, the
blocks and rigging rattled, the sea dashed over her, the voices of the
seamen were heard amid the uproar shouting to one another, while
occasionally the clanking sound of pumps was added to the noise.
Morning broke dark and gloomy. During the day the wind decreased, and
Hamet told Roger to continue his course to the southward. He seemed to
fancy that in those northerly regions he was likely to meet with more
gales than were pleasant. The following day the weather had moderated
greatly, and by degrees the sea went down, and the ship glided on as
smoothly as before. A bright look-out was of course kept for strangers;
and the _Tiger_ was about the latitude of the Straits of Gibraltar when
a sail was seen to the eastward, which had apparently come out of the
Mediterranean. Chase was at once made, for she appeared to be a
merchant vessel, and, though of good size, not much larg