below on the condition of the weather.

"It's blowing about as hard as it can be," he said, "and she rolls fit
to take the masts out of her. There don't seem no chance of the gale
breaking, and none of the other ships of the fleet are in sight. That's
about all I have to tell you, except that I told the captain that if
he didn't get the hatches lifted a little we should be all stifled down
here. He says if there's a bit of a lull he will ask them to give us
a little fresh air, and in the mean time he says that any who are good
sailors may go up on deck, but it will be at their own risk, for some of
the seas go pretty nearly clean over her."

CHAPTER IV: THE SERGEANT'S YARN

Jack Stilwell and a few of the other men availed themselves of the
permission to escape for a time from the stifling atmosphere below, and
made their way on deck. For a time the rush of the wind and the wild
confusion of the sea almost bewildered them. Masses of water were
rushing along the deck, and each time she rolled the waves seemed as
if they would topple over the bulwarks. Several of the party turned
and went below again at once, but Jack, with a few others, waited their
opportunity and, making a rush across the deck, grasped the shrouds and
there hung on. Jack soon recovered from his first confusion and was able
to enjoy the grandeur of the scene.

Small as was the canvas she was showing, the vessel was traveling fast
through the waves, sometimes completely burying her head under a sea;
then as she rose again the water rushed aft knee deep, and Jack had
as much as he could do to prevent himself being carried off his feet.
Fortunately all loose articles had long since been swept overboard,
otherwise the risk of a broken limb from their contact would have been
serious.

In a quarter of an hour even Jack had had enough of it and went below,
and, having changed his drenched clothes, slung his hammock and turned
in. The next day the gale began to abate, and by evening the wind had
nearly died away, although the vessel was rolling as heavily as before
among the great masses of water which rolled in from the Atlantic.

The hatchways, however, were now removed, and all below ordered on deck,
and after awhile a party was told off to sluice down their quarters
below. The men were all weakened by their confinement, but their spirits
soon rose, and there was ere long plenty of laughter at the misfortunes
which befell those who tried to cross