n; "but, Gerald,
tell the mate to have the dead-lights closed. The sea will be getting
up presently, and we shall have it washing through the stern windows."

"Ay, ay, sir," answered his son, who knew that an order given must be
delivered immediately, and was about to go.

"Stay, Gerald--tell him to set the fore-topsail closely reefed, and to
rig preventer-braces; we must not run the risk of having the ship
pooped, and there will be a great chance of that happening before long,
unless we have merely caught the tail of the hurricane."

The boy hurried on deck and gave the orders he had received. He found
that the mate had anticipated them. The carpenter was at that moment
coming aft to close the stern-ports, while several hands were going
aloft to loose the fore-topsail. The mate had seen the necessity for
this, as already the furious wind had lashed the ocean, hitherto so
calm, into wildly leaping seas, which came rushing up on both sides of
the vessel, with foaming crests like war-steeds charging on the foe; but
onward she flew before them, now rising to the summit of a wave, now
pitching down into the trough on the farther side. It needed all the
strength of the crew to reef and set the sail. The carpenter, as soon
as he had performed his task, went forward again to assist the rest,
while the mate and Gerald took the helm. The sail was at length set,
and the men came down off the yard. The mate kept an anxious eye on the
canvas, doubting much whether it would stand the tremendous strain put
on it--he expected every moment to see it blown away from the
bolt-ropes--but it was stout and new. He had little fear of the
rigging, for every inch of it he had himself assisted in turning in and
setting up, and not a strand had parted--all was thoroughly served. He
now summoned one of the best hands to relieve him at the helm; he then
had a spare fore-topsail got up on deck ready to bend, should the first
be carried away. Having made every arrangement which as a good seaman
he considered necessary, he sent Gerald back into the cabin to report to
the captain; he would, he knew, be anxious to learn how things were
going on. Gerald, who was an enthusiastic admirer of the mate, did not
fail to tell all that had been done.

"He is a good seaman, father, that mate of ours," he exclaimed.

"I can always trust him to do the right thing," observed the captain.

"He is as fine a fellow as ever stepped," answered Gerald, w