e should
have seen them before, but this gale must have blown them south a
bit. They work up with the northwesterly current, but I expect the
wind will have carried them back against it. No, I don't want to
see no icebergs."

"But if it were a very big one, we might get under its lee and
repair damages a bit, Bill. Might we not?"

"No, my lad. The lee of an iceberg ain't a place one would choose,
if one could help it. There you are becalmed under it, and the berg
drifting down upon you, going perhaps four knots an hour. No, the
farther you keep away from icebergs the better. But if you have got
to be near one, keep to windward of it. At least, that's my
'speryence.

"They have been having some trouble with the convicts, I hears.
They worked well enough at first, as long as they knew that there
was a lot of water in the hold; but since then they have been
a-grumbling, and last night I hear there was a rumpus, and six of
them was put in irons. That's the first of it, and the sooner the
gale's over, and we shapes our course in smooth water for Sydney
heads, the better I shall be pleased."

An hour later, Bill pointed to the sky ahead.

"Do yer see nothing odd about that 'ere sky?"

"No," Reuben replied, "except that it's very light coloured."

"Ay, that's it, my lad. That's what they call the ice blink. You
see if we ain't in the middle of bergs before night comes on. I
have not been whaling for nothing."

A few minutes later, the first mate was heard to be shouting
orders.

"Just as I thought," Bill said. "We are going to try to rig a jury
mizzen, so as to help us claw off the ice, if need be."

A spare top mast was got up from below. Guys were fixed to one end
and, with the help of the marines and a party of convicts, the spar
was raised alongside the stump of the mizzen mast; and was there
lashed securely, the guys being fastened as stays to the bulwarks.
Blocks had been tied to the top, before it was raised; and ropes
rove into them; and a try sail was brought on deck, and laid ready
for hoisting.

The first mate ascended to the fore top, and at once hailed the
deck that ice was visible ahead. The captain joined him, and for
some minutes the two officers carefully examined the horizon. No
sooner did the captain regain the deck than he ordered the try sail
to be hoisted on the jury mast, and a haul to be given upon the
braces of the fore sail, while the ship's course was laid a little
north of east.