shall be ready to say to
it, `Do your worst.'"

"Oh, it will last that time."

The captain did not answer, but went to where the men were furling a
sail, and he had hardly reached them when a puff of wind seemed to dash
down and seize the portion of the great fore-and-aft canvas unsecured,
fill it out balloon-fashion, and swing round the heavy yard, which was
about to be laid along the top, level with the boom below.

Two men went backwards on the deck.

"Two more hands here!" roared the captain. "Lay on to it, my lads;" and
as two of the Norwegians sprang to help, and the two men who had been
sent sprawling on the deck regained their feet, Steve shouted, "Come on,
Mr Handscombe!" and ran and climbed on to the swinging yard to help
bear it down.

Five minutes' hard fight, and the sail was bound down with its yard
firmly on to the great boom which lay horizontally level with the
bulwarks, and a stout rope was passed round and round and made fast
before the next puff came. For these began to succeed each other more
rapidly now, following the advance-guard of the boreal enemy like a band
of skirmishers trying to make an easy way for the main army close upon
their track.

The sail reduced, all but that which was absolutely necessary, and
which, small as was its surface, was sufficient to make the _Hvalross_
race along during the time the blasts endured, the captain directed his
attention to the hatches' battening down, spreading tarpaulins, and
having them nailed over, till at last he turned to where the doctor and
Steve stood gazing astern at the grim, black wall, which appeared to be
following about a mile away.

"There," he said, "I think we are ready for the fight now. A pretty
good lesson this in having everything shipshape, so as to be prepared
for emergencies."

"I think it has been wonderful," said the doctor. "How well the men
seconded you!"

"Yes; not forgetting the doctor and Steve. That was very brave of you,
my lad. A sailor of twenty years' experience could not have done
better."

"What, in getting astride of that yard to bear it down? Why, it seemed
just the thing to do!"

"Exactly; but it was the doing it speedily, before it did any mischief."

"Perhaps we shall ride on before the storm now, and not be much affected
by it," said the doctor tentatively; but the captain shook his head.

"We shall have it directly. Look how the water is beginning to foam
away yonder! What I fear is t