hing Adair on the shoulder, "I've bad news. We've
sprung a leak, and I fear that the vessel is sinking."

Both Murray and Adair had gone through so many dangers, that neither of
them were inclined to despair, even when they found themselves on board
a little rotten vessel, plunging along through terrific seas with a leak
in her bottom, which was letting in the water at a rate which must
speedily send her far down to the depths of old ocean. Away flew the
little craft under bare poles, the dark seas, with thick crests of
white, rolling up on either side of them, with loud roars, and
threatening to come right down upon the deck and swamp them. Tumbling
about as the vessel was, it was no easy matter even to get the pump
rigged in the dark. That task, however, was at length accomplished, and
all hands set to with a will in the hopes of clearing the vessel of
water. At first it seemed to be rushing in as fast as it gushed out.

"I believe after all it was only the water which got down the hatches
when the first sea broke aboard of us," said Murray, and with this idea
both he and Terence were much comforted. Drearily and wearily drew on
the dark hours of that tempestuous night. Daylight came at last, and
only exhibited the scene of wild commotion around; the leaden sky, the
dark grey waves broken into strange shapes, leaping and rolling over
each other, and covered with masses of white foam. Off that strange
African coast, storms and calms succeed each other with but scant
warning. By seven o'clock the wind suddenly dropped, and in another
hour the sea went down, and the lately wave-tossed bark lay perfectly
becalmed.

"Terence," said Murray, "look over the side of the vessel; doesn't she
strike you as being much lower in the water than she was?" Terence
feared so. The well was sounded, and three feet of water was found in
the hold.

"Man the pump!" cried Murray. This was done, but before many minutes
had passed the pump broke. The damage was considerable; but Needham was
a handy fellow, and could manage nearly any work. The two young
officers lent him a hand. All sorts of devices were thought of, all
sorts of things were substituted for those which were wanting; but with
the quantity of water in the hold, and in the way the craft was tumbled
about by the swell, the operation took much longer time than might be
supposed. It is very exciting to read of a ship sinking with the pumps
out of order, and half a