t still the same heavy surf as before rolled on the shore,
from whence, in answer to Jack's signals, the reply came, "Troops cannot
yet land."

"I think, sir, before long, we shall have a breeze," said the master.
"I hope it won't come due south; and from the look of the sky I should
say that we shall have it from the south-west, or perhaps from the
westward."

"I trust, if we do get it, that it will be from a quarter which will
enable us to make sail," answered Jack.

Still hour after hour went by, and no breeze came. At length, towards
night, a few ripples were seen on the water. They became more frequent.
The dog vanes blew out.

"Hurrah! here comes a breeze!" cried the master. "We shall have it
strong enough presently to make sail," he added. "We may then get that
ironwork of ours to rights."

The capstan was manned. Scarcely had the men commenced tramping round
than a loud report was heard. The messenger had given way, when the
cable ran out to the clench, carrying away the stoppers, and running
through both compressors. By great exertions, however, the messenger
was again shackled together and the anchor hove up. No sooner did it
appear above water than Tom, who was on the forecastle, exclaimed--

"Both flukes carried away, sir; nothing but the shank and stock
remaining."

Sail was now made; but the ship was evidently drifting to the westward,
by which she approached nearer and nearer the shore. Every stitch of
canvas that could be set was hoisted. The wind shifted to the very
worst quarter from which it could blow. The ship stood on, however,
close-hauled, first on the starboard tack, and then, the wind shifting
half a point or so, for the purpose of taking advantage of it, she was
put about. Every sheet and brace was flattened aft; still, judging by
the roar of the breakers, she was no further off the threatening coast
than at first.

Many an eye was turned to leeward in an endeavour to discover the line
of the coast, which, through the gloom, could dimly be distinguished
below the bright sky.

"We still hold our own," said Jack to Archie Gordon, who was walking the
deck. "If we can continue to do that until the sea goes down, we may
still do well; and we must hope, if we should let drop an anchor, that
it will prove sounder than the last. Probably the engineers will by
that time have accomplished their task, and we shall be able to get
steam on the ship. She doesn't sail close-hauled