erwards of the westerly winds and get well to the south;
and, when she had reached the thirty-fourth parallel of longitude and
latitude 18 degrees 22 minutes south--that is, about midway between
Bahia and Rio Janeiro, her head was turned to the south-east with light
winds from the northward and eastward, and she began to make way towards
the "Cape of Storms," after getting to the southward of which she would
have a straight run due east to New Zealand.

The _Nancy Bell's_ bows, however, were not long pointed in the direction
of the rising sun, when another incident occurred to vary the monotony
of the voyage--although, fortunately, this time not a second fire, nor
any peril from the sea to those on board.

It was the second day of her south-easterly course; and from the wind
blowing fresh from the north-east, right on her port quarter, with fine
bright weather, the ship was running pretty free, all sail being set, at
the rate of over twelve knots an hour, leaving a wake behind her like a
mill-race.

"Arrah, sure, and I call, that goin'!" exclaimed the first mate
exultantly, as he walked up and down the poop quickly--just as if his
doing so helped the vessel along, in the same way as one sees the
coxswain of a boat bending backwards and forwards to keep time with the
rowers!

"Yes, like one o'clock!" chimed in Captain Dinks, showing an equal
enthusiasm. "The old girl is walking away with us at a fine rate,
McCarthy. I wouldn't be surprised if we logged three hundred by noon."

"And fifty more tacked on it, sorr," said the mate. "Why, we've done
twelve knots ivry hour of my watch; and Adams tould me she wor running
the same at eight bells. By the piper that played before Moses, it's a
beauty she is--she'd bate aisy the fastest tay clipper from Shanghai!"

"Aye, that she would!" chorused the captain. "What do you think of the
ship now, Miss Kate?" he added to that young lady, who was leaning
against the bulwarks to leeward, looking out over the sea. She was all
alone with her thoughts, Frank Harness being away forwards attending to
the cutting out of a new main-topgallant sail to replace the one they
had lost in the storm, the one they were now using being old and unable
to stand any further rough usage.--"You are not ashamed of the old
_Nancy_, now, eh?"

"Oh no, Captain Dinks," answered Kate, "I never was, even in her worst
moments when we were becalmed; and I'm sure I couldn't be now, when she
is sailing a