n with your recitation."

"But the vessel is in danger, sir," protested Paul.

"I'm not afraid, and you need not be. Take your seat, sir, or I will
report you to the principal."

Paul's face flushed. No officer or professor had before ever threatened
to report him to Mr. Lowington. Mr. Hamblin was as ignorant as a baby
upon nautical matters, and while the Josephine rolled easily on the
waves, and the sails flapped idly against the masts, he could imagine no
peril.

"I am sorry to disobey your order, sir; but in this instance I must,"
said Paul, firmly, though his voice trembled with emotion.

"Very well, sir," replied the professor, angrily, "I shall report you to
the principal, and if I have any influence with him, you will be removed
from your present position."

Paul did not wait to hear any more, but hastened on deck. His quick eye
discovered the peril of the moment. The squall was indeed upon them. At
the peak of the Young America hung the signal which had been hoisted;
but it was not necessary to look in the book for its meaning.

"Mr. Terrill, call all hands--quick!" said Captain Kendall, in sharp
tones.

"All hands on deck, ahoy!" roared the boatswain's mate, as he piped his
shrill whistle at the main hatch.

The students flew from their seats at the mess table, deserting the two
professors without an apology. With only two exceptions, the officers
and crew of the Josephine were all old sailors. Most of them had been on
board the ship for two years, and a sudden squall was no new thing to
them. They leaped into their stations, and when the orders were given
they knew exactly what to do.

"Stand by sheets and halyards!" shouted the first lieutenant. "Man the
jib, and flying jib halyards, and downhauls!"

"All ready forward, sir," reported the second lieutenant, whose place
was on the forecastle.

"Man the topgallant clewlines and buntlines!" continued Terrill.

"All ready, sir!"

"Ease off the sheets! Settle away the halyards! Clew up! Lay aloft, and
furl topgallant-sail!"

The topgallant men sprang up the rigging like so many cats, for all
hands had been thoroughly waked up by the impending peril.

"Let go the flying jib halyard! Haul down! Lay out and stow the flying
jib!"

"Man the topsail clewlines and buntlines!"

"All ready, sir," replied the second lieutenant.

"Let go the topsail sheets! Clew up! Settle away the halyards! Haul taut
the braces!"

All this was done in half the tim