search of her," was the answer.

The repairs at length being completed, the _Bellona_ sailed in search of
the _Empress_.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

THE EMPRESS LOSES SIGHT OF THE BELLONA--A GALE--SAILS BLOWN AWAY--RUNS
BEFORE THE WIND--A LEAK--THE PUMPS MANNED--CREW SET TO BALE--PAT'S
DREAM--PETE DISCOVERS THE LEAK--A THRUMMED SAIL GOT UNDER THE BOTTOM--
ANOTHER LEAK--THE GALE INCREASES--STEER FOR VIRGINIA ISLAND--ALL HANDS
SPELL AND SPELL--THE SHIP PASSES OVER A REEF--FALSE KEEL CARRIED AWAY--
THE WATER GAINS ON THEM--ADAIR ADDRESSES THE CREW--THE MIDSHIPMAN AND
SHIP'S BOY WITH THEIR WATER JUGS--LAND IN SIGHT--REACHED AT NIGHT--A
BEACON FIRE APPEARS ON SHORE--SHIP DRIFTS FROM HER ANCHOR--SURMISES AS
TO ITS BEING FLY-AWAY ISLAND--THE SHIP REGAINS AN ANCHORAGE--TWO BOATS
SENT ON SHORE--GREEN GRASPS THE HAND OF LORD SAINT MAUR--STORES AND PART
OF THE CREW LANDED--THE SHIP AGAIN DRIVEN OFF THE SHORE.

We must now go back to the _Empress_, which we left somewhere about the
Tropic of Capricorn, in a heavy gale of wind, approaching to a
hurricane. The weather having come on very thick, she soon lost sight
of her consort, when the heavy sea which got up compelled Captain Adair
either to heave the ship to or to run before the wind. He chose the
former alternative, the steam still being kept up. Waiting for a lull,
he brought her to the wind under a close-reefed main-topsail. Heavy
ship as she was, and deep in the water with stores and provisions of all
sorts, she did not ride it out in the comfortable fashion of an old
wooden frigate. A fierce blast blew her canvas to ribbons, and a sea
striking her carried away the bulwarks forward, and swept her deck,
knocking two of her boats to pieces, and doing other serious damage.
Her screw working brought her up again, or the consequences might have
been still more serious. It took a long time with all the strength that
could be applied to set another sail, when the ship for a time rode
rather more easily.

She thus continued hove to for a couple of days, the weather in no way
moderating. Adair felt anxious about the _Bellona_, which he hoped to
have seen, not being aware that by running south he would have got out
of the gale as she did. Many a good seaman under similar circumstances
has made the same mistake. Suddenly the engines stopped. Adair sent to
inquire the cause. Part of the machinery had got out of gear, but the
engineer reported that it would be soon again in