ad and cheese in the
pantry, and ye'll be ready at hand when I call ye."

We quickly slipped below, and he again closed the companion-hatch which
he had opened to let us descend. The other hatches had been battened
down, for at any moment a sea might break on board, and if they had not
been secured, might fill the vessel.

Not a ray of light came below, but Jim and I, groping about, found the
bread and cheese we were in search of and soon satisfied our hunger. We
then, thankful to get some rest, lay down on the deck of the cabin--
which landsmen would call the floor--for we should have considered it
presumptuous to stretch ourselves in one of the berths or even on the
locker; and in spite of the rolling and pitching of the brig we were
quickly fast asleep.

I seldom dreamed in those days, but, though tired as I was, my slumbers
were troubled. Now I fancied that the brig was sinking, but that,
somehow or other, I came to the surface, and was striking out amid the
raging billows for the land; then I thought that I was again on board,
and that the brig, after rushing rapidly on, struck upon a huge reef of
black rocks, when, in an instant, her timbers split asunder, and we were
all hurled into the seething waters. Suddenly I was awoke by the
thundering, crashing sound of a tremendous blow on the side of the
vessel, and I found myself hove right across the cabin, clutching fast
hold of Jim, who shouted out, "Hillo, Peter, what is the matter? Are we
all going to be drowned?"

Before I could answer him there came from above us--indeed, it had begun
while he was speaking--a deafening mingling of terrific noises, of
rending planks, of falling spars, the rush and swirl and roar of waters,
amid which could be heard the faint cries of human voices.

The brig had been thrown on her beam-ends; of that there could be no
doubt, for when we attempted to get on our feet we found the deck of the
cabin almost perpendicular.

"Do you think the brig will go down?" shouted Jim.

The hubbub was so great that it was impossible to hear each other unless
we spoke at the very top of our voices.

"We must, at all events, get on deck as soon as we can, and do our best
to save ourselves," I answered.

Though I said this, I had very little hope of escaping, as I thought
that the vessel might at any moment founder. Even to get on deck was no
easy matter, for everything in the cabin was upside down--boxes and
bales, and casks and articl