mstances--what, indeed, was the only
thing that would save the ship, and which, if it could be done, had to
be done quickly.

Still grasping the rail with one hand, he made a motion with the other
to Jan Steenbock to put the helm up, for the second-mate, being on the
poop, had immediately jumped to the wheel to the assistance of the man
there, who had as much as he could do single-handed to keep down the
spokes, the ship steering wildly in such a heavy, tumbling sea as was
boiling around us. The captain the next moment clambered to the
mizzen-topsail sheets and halliards, and let them go by the run, an
example that was instantly followed by those on the deck below, Tom
Bullover, who was in charge there, anticipating the skipper's intention,
although he could not catch the order he bawled out at the same time
that he lifted his hand to warn the helmsman--the terrible din kept up
by the waves and wind alike preventing a word from reaching any one
standing a yard beyond Captain Snaggs, had he spoken through a speaking
trumpet and been possessed of lungs of brass!

At first, it looked as if these measures had been adopted too late, the
vessel lay so helplessly over on her side; but, in a little while,
although it seemed a century to us, with our lives trembling in the
balance, during the interval of a brief lull she slowly righted again.
Then, paying off from the wind, she plunged onward, pitching and rolling
and careering before the gale as it listed, yawing to port and starboard
and staggering along; throwing tons of water over her fo'c's'le as she
dived and then taking in whole seas over her quarter as she rolled on,
the following waves overtaking her--just like a high mettled steed that
had thrown its rider and was rejoicing in its temporary freedom.

The canvas aloft was ballooning out, and the ropes slatting and
cracking, with blocks banging against the spars, all making a regular
pandemonium of noise, in conjunction with the hoarse shriek of the
sou'-wester and the clashing of the billows when they broke, buffeting
the _Denver City_ as if they would smash in her topsides at every blow!

Mr Flinders, the first-mate, who had got his arm hurt shortly before
the first blast struck us and had gone below to have it bound up by the
steward, now crawled up the companion and approached the skipper,
shouting something in his ear that, of course, I could not catch.

Captain Snaggs, however, apparently understood what he sa