erds;
that's all I know."

"Port Praya and a port; that was in the articles sure enough," answered
he who had questioned Bill Marline; "but the 'Sea Witch' will scarce
anchor there before she is off again, according to my reckoning."

That the old tar knew more than he chose to divulge, however, was
apparent to his comrades, but they knew him to be fixed when he chose,
and so did not endeavor by importunity to gather anything further from
him; so the conversation gradually changed into some other channel.

In the meantime, while the crew gathered about Bill Marline were thus
speculating, the vessel bowled along gracefully, with a speed that was
in itself exhilarating to her young commander, who still gazed idly at
the passing current. Once or twice a slight frown clouded his features,
and his lips moved as though he was striving within himself either
against real or imaginary evil, and then the same calm, placid manliness
of countenance radiated his handsome features, and his lips were
composed.

Now he turned to issue some necessary order, which was uttered in that
calm, manly distinctness that challenges obedience, and then he resumed
his idle gaze over the vessel's side, once more losing himself in his
day dream.

CHAPTER III.

THE GALE.

"THE Wind seems to be hauling," said the mate, walking aft, and
addressing his superior.

"Keep her a good full," said the captain, to the man at the helm.

"Ay, ay, sir," said the old tar, as he tried to make the sails draw by
altering the vessel's course a point or two more free.

"Here it is, sure enough," said the captain, "from the southwest. Up
with the men forward once more, Mr. Faulkner!--we must humor our
beauty."

"All hands oil deck!" shouted the mate at the hatch--an order which as
before was perfectly obeyed.

Almost as quickly as the foremast had been stripped of the square rig it
had at first borne, it was once more clothed again with its topsail and
mainsail, and in less than fifteen minutes the "Sea Witch" was under a
cloud of canvass, with studd'nsails out on both sides, while the fore
and aft sails on the main and mizzen were boomed out wing and wing dead
before the wind. The staysails and jibs were hauled down now as useless,
and the vessel flew like a courser. The change of wind had brought the
sea up, and the vessel had a gradual roll, causing the waves now and
then to come gracefully in over the waist, while the extreme fore and
aft pa