g. "Jack," said he, "I have a piece of advice to give
you, which you'll find useful through life. Never go and repeat what
you hear about anybody. It's done by people through idleness sometimes,
and often through ill-nature, or with a downright evil intention; but
whatever is the cause, it's a contemptible propensity, and is certain to
lead to harm." I promised that I would follow this advice, and I did
so.

Though we had light winds, the strong current which set in from east to
west across the Caribbean Sea helped us along, and enabled us to reach
Jamaica about seven days after we left Saint Kitt's. After coasting
along some way, we cast anchor in Port-Royal Harbour, about five miles
from Kingston. There were from two to three hundred sail of craft of
all sizes brought up in the harbour.

Scarcely had we dropped our anchor, when the wind, which had before been
very light, fell completely. I saw the old gentleman come on deck, and
look round earnestly on every side, and then up at the sky. He then
went to the captain, and took him aside.

"I tell you it will be down upon us before very long," I heard him say.
"House your topmasts, and range your cables, and have every anchor
you've got ready for letting go."

The captain seemed to expostulate: "Not another craft seems to be
expecting danger."

"Never mind what other crafts are doing," was the answer. "Take the
warning of a man who has known these seas from his earliest days, and do
you be prepared. If they are lost, it is no reason that you should be
lost with them."

The captain at last yielded to the advice of the old gentleman. The
topmasts were struck and every particle of top hamper was got down on
deck. The cables were all ranged, and two other anchors were carried
out ahead, while full scope was given to the best bower which we had
down. The old gentleman went about the deck seeing that everything was
done properly. Had we not, indeed, been well-manned the work could not
have been accomplished at all. Oh, how hot and sultry it was! I had
never before felt anything like it. The pitch bubbled and boiled out of
the seams on the deck, and the very birds sought shelter far away in
some secluded spot.

"Why has the ship been gut into this condition?" I asked of Peter.

"Because they think a hurricane is coming, Jack. If there is, we have
just got into harbour in time. I don't see any signs of it myself,
except the wind dropping so suddenly