hab fit!"

The captain's professional instincts roused him even more rapidly than
did a loaf of soppy bread which at that moment was dashed in his face by
the counter swish of the water against the side of the cabin, and he
sprang up ready for action as cool and collected as possible,
considering the circumstances.

Before Mr Rawlings or the skipper--who both rushed forward at once to
where the boy was standing--could reach him, however, or the negro
steward, who was directly in his way, but was too dumfoundered to
prevent him, he made one leap over the table and rushed out of the
cabin, with the same set look of terror, or some unearthly expression
which they could not absolutely define, on his face, the blood streaming
down from under the bandage across his forehead, making his appearance
ghastly and uncanny, as the Scotch say, in the extreme. He resembled,
more a galvanised corpse than anything else!

The skipper and passenger followed him instanter, Jasper, who had
recovered from his first astonishment at the apparition, being not far
from their heels; but when the two gained the deck, the confusion that
was reigning there, and the perilous position of the ship, made them
forget for the while the object that had called them forth.

Captain Blowser's passion for "carrying on," in the face of the
treacherous weather the _Susan Jane_ had already experienced in the Bay
of Biscay, with the prospect of more to come, as the mate had pointed
out from the warning look of clouds along the horizon in front, had
brought its own punishment; for the ship had been taken aback through
the wind's shifting round, before the second mate Davitt, who had obeyed
the skipper's injunctions to the letter, had time to take in sail, even
if he had endeavoured to do so without calling him first, as he had been
enjoined on his leaving the deck.

The results of this recklessness were most unfortunate for the _Susan
Jane_, as the fore-topmast had soon snapped off sharp at the cap like a
carrot, bringing with it, of course, the fore-topgallant mast as well,
and the main-topgallant mast, with their respective yards and other
spars, and the jib-boom as well. The ship was consequently broached to,
and tons of water were poured on to her from the mountainous waves that
seemed to assail her on all sides at once, which, but for the fact of
the hatches being closely battened down, would have soon filled her hold
and caused her to founder.

Fort