ould speak."

"Ah! he mostly come to you, Bob Bostock, when he wanted a bit o'
fishing-line or anything o' that kind."

"He did," said the old sailor, "and glad I allus was to help him. Maybe
we are going to have a blow to-night, and if it comes so much the
better. It'll make it cooler for the poor lad, for it's hot enough now.
Yes, we're in for a hurricane, my lads, as sure as we're at sea."

He had hardly spoken the words when the first mate gave an order, the
boatswain's whistle piped, and the men knew that their officers were of
the same opinion as the old stagers among them. A storm was expected,
and a bad one, in as bad a part of the world as could have been selected
for the encounter.

But no uneasiness was felt, for the _Chusan_ was a magnificent boat,
with tackle of the finest description: all it would mean in such a boat
so well commanded would be a tossing, with the decks drenched by the
tumbling waves, for she was well commanded, the crew were in a capital
state of discipline, as shown at once by the steady way in which they
went to work fulfilling the orders received, battening down hatches,
extra lashing loose spare spars, seeing to the fastenings of the boats,
and taking precautions against the water getting down into engine-room
or cabin, so that in a very short time everything was, as a sailor would
say, made snug, and there was nothing more that the most cautious
captain could have wished to see done to ensure the safety of the
magnificent vessel in his charge.

The passengers, who were still discussing the accident which had
befallen the boy, and who had paid no heed to the peculiar look of the
sky, the sea still heaving and sinking gently in an oily calm, now began
to notice the work going on, and the rumour soon spread among them that
there was the possibility of a storm coming on.

The result was that first one and then another began to hunt the captain
to question him, but only to obtain short polite answers, that officer
being too busy to gossip after the fashion wished. They fared worse
with the chief and second officers, who were quite short; and then one
of the most enterprising news-seekers on board captured old Bostock,
literally button-holing him with the question:

"Do you think we are going to have a storm?"

"Don't think about it, sir. We shall have a buster before we're half an
hour older. Going to blow great guns, so hold your hair on, sir. Can't
stop; going to hear how