el to, which
was done under the storm-jib and mizzen, while the main-sail was lowered
down and stowed. When morning broke, there the little vessel lay,
riding on the leaden seas, and the dark clouds overhead, and masses of
spray driving against her. Old Joe said they were pretty nearly about
the spot where they were the night before--no nearer the French coast,
no farther from that of England. There seemed to be little likelihood
of the gale abating. Joe put the lad, who had been sleeping most of the
night, to watch the helm while he took a snooze. The rest of the party
had slept but little. Stephen had not closed his eyes, but he now felt
very weary, and could no longer keep awake, so he lay down in the cuddy,
caring less for the thumping sound than Andrew had done. He slept on
for some hours in spite of wind whistling in the rigging, the roaring of
the seas, which ever and anon broke over the little vessel, half filling
her with water. Old Joe got the pump rigged, and bade Andrew and Simon,
as they could do nothing else, work away at it. He kept them at it till
their arms ached, but it was far better than being idle. At last
Stephen got up; he proposed that they should have some food, as neither
of his friends had taken anything since the previous evening. At first
they declared that they could get nothing down. He persuaded them to
try. Following his example, they succeeded better than they had
expected, and were able again to turn to the pump. With an easterly
gale such as they were now experiencing, there is generally a clear sky,
but on this occasion, clouds massed on clouds came rushing along from
the North Sea. Though hove-to, as far as old Joe could calculate, about
mid-channel, the little vessel was drifting fast to leeward, farther and
farther from the direction which those on board desired to go. Old Joe
proposed at length that they should run back to some port on the English
coast. Against this Stephen protested. They had had a narrow escape as
it was, and wherever they might put in, they would be nearly certain to
be suspected.

"Then we must bear up for a French port," said Joe.

"That will only be a degree better," observed Stephen.

"Well, then, it is a choice of evils," said Joe. "If we do not get into
some port or other, and it should come on to blow harder than it does
now, the chances are the craft will go down. Better to be taken by the
French."

"We will hope that the gale