ng around the ship, winged their flight to the
nearest islands where shelter could be found. The atmosphere was
pervaded with a peculiar glare by the rays of the sun coming through the
clouds of a dull ochreous red, giving the ocean, the ship, her canvas
and sides, the same unnatural tint.

As the summits of the swells, till now as smooth as glass, rose higher
and higher, they formed crests of foam, which sparkled in the ruddy
light, like masses of jewels. Hitherto there had not been sufficient
wind to steady the ship as she made her way amid the heaving billows.
Mr Jay, the second lieutenant, was now the officer of the watch; he
made a sign to Tom.

"Rogers," he said, "go and tell the commander that the weather is
getting much worse."

"Be quick about it, too," exclaimed Green; "there is no time to lose."

Commander Rawson was quickly on deck. After taking a rapid glance
round, he shouted out, "All hands shorten sail."

The watch below came tumbling up on deck. The topsails were lowered,
and the topmen, like bees, swiftly swarmed aloft, laying out on the
yardarms.

"Hold on by your teeth and eyelids, Billy," said Tom to his old friend
Billy Blueblazes, as he sprang up to his station in the main-top. The
canvas was speedily reduced to closely-reefed fore and main-topsails and
fore-staysail. It was hard work to hold on, for the ship rolled even
more violently than before. The wind, however, did not come as soon as
was expected, but it was impossible to say at what moment it might
strike her. That it would come with no ordinary strength, and without
further warning, there was every reason to believe.

The crew, having performed their task, were called down on deck. There
was something in the appearance of the sea and sky, and the heaviness of
the atmosphere, which made even the toughest old seaman feel an
extraordinary depression of spirits, though he might not have suspected
the cause.

"Faith! I'm sorry I did not remain quietly in my cot," said Desmond;
"it seems to me as if the world were coming to an end. I should not be
surprised to see flames spouting up out of the sea. It looks as if some
big fires were burning away under it."

"Don't you ken, Gerald, that the water would be putting the fire out,"
observed Archie; "though from the appearance of some of those islands
there has been fire enough below them at one time or other. They have
all been raised up out of the ocean by volcanic agency."