. That
Jilla-Jilly wind is the most terrible wind you ever heard of!
We'll soon strike it! There, that sounds like it now! Don't you
feel as if you were being lifted up?"

The nervous fears of Mr. Tarbill made him anticipate almost any
sensation that was vividly described to him. He was in such a
state of mind that he would have believed almost anything he heard.

"Yes! Yes!" he exclaimed. "I feel it coming! Oh, dear! What
shall I do?"

"Go below quickly!" yelled Bob, for that was the object he had in
mind in inventing the Jilla-Jilly wind for the occasion.

"I will! I'll go at once!" And, holding on to hand-lines which
had been stretched about the deck for safety, the nervous passenger
made his way to his cabin, while the ship tossed more than ever.

CHAPTER XVI

WRECK OF THE SHIP

Though the vessel was in great danger Bob could not help smiling at
the success of his prank. When Mr. Tar-bill, with every evidence
of terror, had left the deck, Bob crept cautiously forward to peer
ahead into the wild waste of waves that threatened to overwhelm the
_Eagle_.

"If it isn't a Jilla-Jilly wind, it's almost as bad," thought our
hero. If he had known more about the ocean and its terrors he
would have been more frightened than he was. If it was not exactly
an instance of "where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise,"
it was, in Bob's case, the next thing to it.

"Wow! That was a bad one!" exclaimed the boy, as an
extraordinarily large wave made the ship tremble.

At the same instant a frightened shriek rang out through the
darkness. It was one full of terror.

"It's got me! It's got me!" yelled the voice. "What in the world
is that?" shouted Captain Spark above the din of the storm. "Is
some one overboard?"

"Sounds like Mr. Tarbill," replied the mate, putting his lips close
to the captain's ear, so as to be heard.

"Maybe something has happened to him," suggested the commander.
"Better look after him, Mr. Carr. We shall do very well for the
time being. We've got her before the gale now, and she's scudding
along very nicely."

Once the first fury of the storm was past, and it settled down to a
steady blow, Captain Spark knew how to handle his vessel. Mr. Carr
went below. He found Mr. Tarbill in the main cabin, pacing to and
fro and starting nervously at every unexpected lurch of the ship.

"Is it blowing? Is the ship going up or down?" asked the nervous
passenger.

"Is what