is head descended below the companion hatch than Murray
exclaimed--

"Here's a breeze at last! Its dead ahead though; but it will blow away
the fog, I hope, and we shall be able to keep the yacht moving."

Two or three minutes, however, passed before the vessel's sails, feeling
the influence of the wind, enabled her to gather way. Contrary to
Murray's expectations, the fog still hung as thickly as before above the
water.

"Here, Murray, the ladies want you to settle a knotty point," exclaimed
Jack, from the foot of the companion ladder.

Murray, seeing that the schooner had now got way on her, dived below.
Not a minute after, a crash was heard. He, followed by Jack, sprang on
deck, when they saw a large dark hull, with a pyramid of canvas, rising
above the deck, over the after part of which a long projecting bowsprit
made a rapid sweep, tearing a hole through the mainsail, and carrying
away the leech. They both instinctively sprang aft to the helm, the man
at which had been knocked down. In another instant the schooner was
clear, and the stranger had disappeared in the darkness.

Jack, taking the helm, kept it up, for the blow had brought the vessel
to the wind, while Murray hastened to ascertain what damage had been
done.

"She has only torn away our bulwarks, sir," cried Ben. "Try the well,"
said Murray.

Ben reported--

"She's making no water, but I don't know what she may do when we go on
t'other tack."

"Clear the boats ready for lowering," exclaimed Murray.

That on the port side, however, was found to have been carried away,
with the davits, and now hung crushed to pieces, held by the falls. The
darkness prevented all the damage which had been done from being
discovered for some time. Adair had remained a minute behind his
friends, to quiet the alarm of the ladies, who were naturally somewhat
agitated at hearing the sound caused by the collision. He now sprang on
deck, just as Murray was ordering a boat to be lowered.

"Here, Desmond," he sang out, "lend me a hand at the after falls."

"Hold on!" cried Murray; "there's no necessity for lowering a boat.
There's no great damage done, after all, I hope; though it would have
been the same to that big fellow, for no one on board him even hailed to
know whether we required assistance."

The breeze was every instant freshening. The schooner heeled over to
starboard.

"Where are you, Desmond?" exclaimed Adair.

No one answered.

"Good Heav