turn, and as soon as I could
get relieved, I went and spoke to them, and found him able to sit up.

As day began to break, the wind seemed to lull a little, and soon after
a little more, and again a little more, till, with joyful heart, I told
all about me that the worst was over; and it was so, for the wind
shifted round to the south and west, and the sea went down fast. Soon,
too, the sun came out; and getting a little sail on the ship, I began to
steer, as near as I could tell, homewards, hoping before long to be able
to make out our bearings, which I did soon after, and then got the
passengers and crew once more in regular spells at the pumps.

We were terribly full of water; and as the ship rolled the night before,
it was something awful to hear it rush from side to side of the hold,
threatening every minute to force up the decks; but now keeping on a
regular drain, the scuppers ran well, and hour by hour we rose higher
and higher, and the ship, from sailing like a tub, began to answer her
helm easily, and to move through the water.

It was towards afternoon that, for the first time, I remembered the
captain, just, too, as he made his appearance on deck, white-looking,
and ill, but now very angry and important.

I had just sent some of the men aloft, and we were making more sail,
when in a way that there was no need for, he ordered them down, at the
same time saying something very unpleasant to me. Just then I saw Mr
Vallance step forward to where the other passengers were collected, many
of them being his own men; and then, after few words, they all came aft
together to where the captain stood, and Mr Vallance acted as
spokesman.

"Captain Johnson," he said, "I am speaking the wishes of the passengers
of this ship when I request you to go below to your cabin, and to stay
there until we reach port."

"Are you mad, sir?" exclaimed the captain.

"Not more so than the rest of the passengers," said Mr Vallance, "who,
one and all, agree with me that they have no confidence in you as
captain; and that, moreover, they consider that by your conduct you have
virtually resigned the command of the ship into Mr Robinson's hands."

"Are you aware, Mr Passenger, that _Mister_ Robinson is one of the
apprentices?"

"I am aware, sir, that he has carried this vessel through a fearful
storm, when her appointed commander left those men and women in his
charge to their fate, while he, like a coward, went below to drown out