e captain said to the lieutenant, who was standing
near, "will you go down to my cabin, and see how the glass stands?"

Harry did not hear the answer, when Hardy returned, but Fairclough
said to him:

"It has gone down another quarter of an inch since I looked at it,
half an hour ago; and it was as low, then, as I have ever seen it.

"Mr. Hardy, you had better send the men aloft, and furl the main
top-sail, altogether; and run down the fore stay-sail. We can get
it up again, as soon as the first burst is over. Put four men at
the wheel."

There was still no breath of wind stirring. The stay sail was run
down, but the men hung back from ascending the shrouds of the main
mast.

"They are afraid of those lights," Fairclough said, "but I do not
think there is the slightest danger from them."

"I will go up, myself, sir," Hardy said; and he ran up the
starboard shrouds while, at the same moment, one of the midshipmen
led the way on the port side. The sailors at once followed their
officers.

The latter had nearly reached the yard, when the two balls of fire
began to roll along it, joined in the centre, and then slowly
ascended the topmast. The fireballs paused there for half a minute,
and then vanished.

"Now, Eden," the lieutenant said, "let us get the work done, at
once, before that fellow makes his appearance again."

The men followed them out on the yard, and worked in desperate
haste, with occasional glances up at the mast head. In a couple of
minutes the sail was firmly secured in its gaskets, and all made
their way below.

"Thank goodness, here it comes, at last," Fairclough said; "the
suspense is more trying than the gale itself."

A low murmur was heard, and a faint pale light was soon visible to
the south.

"Get ready to hold on, all!" he shouted to the men.

The sound momentarily increased in volume, and the distant light
brightened until a long line of white foam was clearly discernible.
It approached with extraordinary speed. There was a sudden puff of
air. It lasted but a few seconds, and then died away.

"Hold on!" the captain again shouted.

Half a minute later, with a tremendous roar, the wind struck the
brig. Knowing which way it would come, Fairclough had, half an hour
before, lowered a boat and brought the vessel's head round, so that
it pointed north. The boat had then been hoisted up.

In the interval of waiting, the ship's head had slightly drifted
round, again, and the wind stru