hat's just what I _do_ mean, then, and no mistake. My eyes! there's a
show of 'em, too; never seed so many afore in my life. You mark my
words, Dick, and see if something out o' the common don't happen to this
here little barkie afore four-and-twenty hours is over our heads."

"What sort of a _somethin'_ d'ye mean, Tom, bo'?" asked another.

"Why, harm or damage o' some kind," replied the oracle. "I've heerd say
as how when them lanterns is showed aboard of a craft, that it's a sure
sign as she's a doomed ship. I remembers one time when I was in the
Chinee seas in the old--Lord ha' mercy on us! what's that?"

A dazzling, blinding flash, which seemed to set both sky and sea on
fire, and a simultaneous crash of thunder of so terrific a character
that my ears rang and tingled, and I was stone-deaf for a few minutes
afterwards, interrupted the speaker. I reeled under the awful
concussion, as though I had received a crushing blow, and for a minute
or two I felt dazed to the verge of unconsciousness. Then I became
sensible that Hawsepipe was grasping my hand and trying to direct my
attention forward; he seemed, too, to be anxious to say something, for
his lips were moving rapidly in an excited manner.

I looked forward, and--behold!--there lay our foremast, with all
attached, over the side; the stump--standing about four feet above the
deck--being nothing but a mass of charred and blackened splinters. This
was bad enough, but, letting my glance travel forward, I saw that the
whole of the men on the forecastle had been struck to the deck by the
electric fluid.

Hawsepipe, the surgeon, the quarter-master, and I, all rushed forward in
a body to the assistance of the unfortunate men, and to ascertain the
extent of their injuries. We raised the poor fellows, as we came to
them, into a sitting position against the bulwarks, while the surgeon
hastily examined them. To our horror it was found that all but four had
been killed by that tremendous discharge, the dead men's bodies being in
some cases blackened and charred as if by fire; while, in other cases,
their knives and the coin in their pockets were fused into shapeless
lumps of metal. The living were carried aft to the cabin, where the
surgeon, assisted by Hawsepipe, devoted all his energies to their
restoration, while the quarter-master and I returned to the deck to look
after the safety of the ship.

In the meantime a terrific thunder-storm heralded by that first