ed completely away.

"Here it comes!" was the exclamation which issued simultaneously from a
dozen throats, as the eyes of the more watchful caught the glare of the
tawny streak of sky away on our port beam; and even as we spoke the roar
of the wind became apparent; and far away on the verge of the horizon we
caught a glimpse of the whitening water, as it was lashed into foam by
the first mad fury of the approaching squall.

"Port your helm! Hard over with it!" I exclaimed; "and stand by to
brail up the mizzen if she fails to pay off."

We had at the wheel one of the best helmsmen on board, a cool, smart,
active topman; and, almost before the words were out of my mouth, he
sent the wheel spinning hard over with a single jerk of his muscular
arm, while Hardy mustered some three or four hands at the mizzen-brails.

The squall, however, furious as it was at its commencement, had spent
its greatest strength before it reached us; and when it struck the
"Vigilant" it came with merely sufficient force to lay her down to her
bearings for a moment, when she gathered way, and, answering her helm at
once, paid off before it, and began to surge away to leeward at the rate
of about six knots.

The squall proved to be merely the precursor of a strong but steady gale
from the north-west: and as soon as this became sufficiently apparent we
hauled our wind once more and hove the craft to on the larboard tack
under her jib and mizzen. This arrangement, while it promised to be the
best that could be made for the safety of the ship and our own comfort,
also enabled us to drift along at the rate of about three knots an hour
on our proper course.

We found that under her short canvas the little "Vigilant," with her
flat and beamy build, sharp lines, and flaring bow, laid-to admirably,
riding as lightly and almost as dry as a seagull over the mountainous
sea which rapidly got up under the influence of the gale.

I remained on deck long enough to thoroughly satisfy myself upon this
point, and then, leaving the deck in charge of Hardy (who had the
watch), with one man to tend the wheel, and two others on the lookout, I
sent the remainder of the hands below to get a good meal with plenty of
strong hot coffee; while little Smellie and I sat down to our own almost
equally humble spread in the small but cosy cabin.

The change from the cold wet sloppy deck, with its accompaniments of
darkness, driving spray, and frequent rain-squalls, to