nd clean without any bilge in it--which shows she's taking it in
fresh and fast."

"There must be a big leak somewhere," said Mr Meldrum, "and the sooner
we see about stopping it the better."

"Yes," said the captain, "we might keep it down certainly by an hour's
spell in each watch; but it tires out the men so. I think it is coming
in somewhere astern; the rudder-post must have started some of the
timbers when it got wrenched off."

"Very probably," said the other; "but then, the ship has had a good deal
of straining the last day or two, besides from the storm in the Bay of
Biscay."

"Ah! she felt that," replied Captain Dinks. "That's what, no doubt,
weakened the rudder and made it go so easily this morning; but I'll call
the carpenter."

The port watch had gone below with Mr Adams, to have a little rest, for
there was no need of all the crew being on deck, the ship riding out the
gale to leeward of the floating anchor which providence had sent them in
the shape of the broken foremast, and there being nothing to do; so, on
a hail from the captain, Mr McCarthy passed the word forwards for Ben
Boltrope, who soon made his appearance out of the fo'c'sle--scrambling
aft as well as he could by holding on to every rope in his way, for the
vessel rolled and pitched most uneasily, rendering upright walking along
the deck an utter impossibility.

"Sarvent, sir," said he, touching his hat to Mr Meldrum on coming up
the poop ladder; "glad to see you on deck."

"What about this leak, carpenter?" said Captain Dinks. "Please tell Mr
Meldrum all you know."

"Well, your honour," said Ben, "all that can be said lies in a nut-
shell! She's making water as fast as it can pour in; and if we don't
find the leak and stop it, she'll founder pretty soon."

"Have you any idea where it is coming in?" inquired Mr Meldrum.

"Well, sir, the cap'en say it's by the rudder-post; but I myself thinks
it's amidships or else forrud: I'd have looked, but I couldn't shift the
cargo without help."

"This must be seen to at once, Captain Dinks," said Mr Meldrum. "As
you have asked my aid, I would advise your calling the watch below; and
I'll go down with the carpenter and see whether we can spy out the
leak."

"Oh, by all means, if you think that will do any good, although I'm of
the opinion that the leak is in the stern. McCarthy, call the port
watch up to go below and break cargo!"

"All hands, ahoy!"

This cry soon brought up the w