we cross the Line."

As the afternoon wore on, the weather became more dull. There were no
clouds in the sky, but the deep blue was dimmed by a sort of haze.
Presently, after a talk between the captain and the first officer, the
latter gave the order, "All hands take in sail."

The order had been expected, and the men at once swarmed up the
rigging. In a quarter of an hour all the upper sails were furled. The
light spars were then sent down to the deck.

"You may as well get the top-gallant sails off her, too, Mr. Green,"
the captain said to the first officer. "It is as well to be prepared
for the worst. It is sure to blow pretty hard, when the change comes."

The top-gallant sails were got in, and when the courses had been
brailed up and secured, the hands were called down. Presently the
captain, after going to his cabin, rejoined Mr. Green.

"The glass has gone up again," Dick heard him say.

"That looks as if it were coming from the north, sir."

"Yes, with some east in it. It could not come from a better quarter."

He turned and gazed steadily in that direction.

"Yes, there is dark water over there."

"So there is, sir. That is all right. I don't mind how hard it blows,
so that it does but come on gradually."

"I agree with you. These hurricane bursts, when one is becalmed, are
always dangerous, even when one is under bare poles."

Gradually the dark line on the horizon crept up towards the ship. As
it reached her the sails bellied out, and she began to move through
the water. The wind increased in strength rapidly, and in half an hour
she was running south at ten or eleven knots an hour. The thermometer
had fallen many degrees, and as the sun set, the passengers were glad
to go below for shelter.

Before going to bed, Dick went up on deck for a few minutes. The
topsails had been reefed down, but the Madras was rushing through the
water at a high rate of speed. The sea was getting up, and the waves
were crested with foam. Above, the stars were shining brilliantly.

"Well, lad, this is a change, is it not?" the captain said, as he came
along in a pea jacket.

"We seem to be going splendidly, Captain."

"Yes, we are walking along grandly, and making up for lost time."

"It is blowing hard, sir."

"It will blow a good deal harder before morning, lad, but I do not
think it will be anything very severe. Things won't be so comfortable
downstairs, for the next day or two, but that is likely to be the