ips, leaving a long trailing wake of silver
light behind it. A moment later, the sound of a heavy splash at some
distance was heard; and whilst the little group of horrified spectators
on board the _Flying Cloud_ were still speaking of the terrible aspect
presented by the monster a shout and a shrill piercing scream came
floating across the water, followed by more shouting and sounds as of
the hasty lowering of a boat.

"Hark! What can that mean?" ejaculated Mrs Gaunt.

"Sounds as though there was something wrong aboard the barque yonder,
sir," reported one of the men to the chief-mate. (Captain Blyth
happened to be below at the moment.)

"Well, it's no business of ours if there is," answered Mr Bryce, not
attempting to move from his seat.

"Did you ever know such a brute as that man is?" whispered Mrs Gaunt to
Miss Stanhope.

"Never," was the reply. "That I am free from any further association
with him will be my most pleasant reflection when I leave the ship."

The flash of oars in the phosphorescent water showed that a boat had
been lowered from the barque, and she could be faintly seen pulling
about for some time afterwards; but at length she returned to the ship.
The cheep of the tackle-blocks could be heard as she was hoisted up, and
that ended the incident for the night.

On running into the calm the _Flying Cloud_ had, of course, been
stripped of her studding-sails in order that she might be ready to meet
the light variable airs which were all she would have to depend upon to
help her across the calm belt; and about nine o'clock that evening one
of these little puffs, accompanied by a smart shower of rain, came out
from the westward, lasting nearly an hour, and enabling the little fleet
to make some four miles of progress on their several ways, some of the
vessels being bound north, whilst the others were making their way in
the opposite direction.

The following morning dawned with another flat calm; but that the crews
of the several ships had not been idle during the night was shown by the
scattered appearance of the fleet. Six of the fifteen sail counted by
Captain Blyth on the previous evening were hull-down to the northward,
in which direction three more vessels had put in an appearance during
the hours of darkness; but these three were all in a bunch and about
twelve miles to the northward and westward of the _Flying Cloud_. A
solitary sail had also hove up above the southern horizon during