aptain held a consultation with his mates. The
first mate and one of the best hands went to the helm. The main and
mizzen-topsails were furled, the helm was put up, and the ship was kept
away before the wind. The huge seas followed close astern, roaring and
hissing after us. Arthur and I had remained on deck.

"I must beg you to go below," said the captain; "for if one of these
seas was to break on board, you might be swept off, and no one could
save you." Still, I was very unwilling to obey. John, however, coming
on deck, saw the danger we were in, and pulled us down the hatchway. We
found Ellen in the cabin kneeling at the table with Maria at her side.
She had the Bible open, though it was a difficult matter to read by the
flickering light of the lamp, which swung backwards and forwards.
Still, every now and then, by keeping her finger on a verse, she was
able to catch a few words; while Maria, with her large eyes wide open
fixed on her young mistress, was listening eagerly to what she said. So
engaged were they, that neither of them observed our entrance. Now
Ellen stopped, and I heard her lifting up her voice in prayer for the
safety of the ship and all on board. John and I, making our way to the
other side of the table, knelt down likewise. Though she saw us she did
not stop. We remained thus for some time, when a shout from the deck
reached us. I could not help rushing up again. John followed me.
During the few minutes we had been below the darkness had increased, but
at that instant a vivid flash of lightning bursting from the sky, showed
a large ship ahead of us. We were running on towards her. Again all
was darkness, and I expected to hear the fearful crash of the two ships
meeting. Again another flash, followed by a fearful peal of thunder,
lighted up the atmosphere. The ship was no longer there, but an object
floating on the foaming waves. It was a boat full of people. It seemed
impossible that she could live many moments in so fearful a sea.
Presently I saw our crew running with ropes to the side. Already the
stern of the boat was sinking beneath the waves. There was a thundering
sound, as if a big gun had been fired. Our foresail had burst from the
bolt-ropes. We rushed on close to the boat. John, Arthur, and I sprang
to the side. Several persons were clinging to the ropes which had been
thrown over to them. We assisted in hauling them up. A sea struck us
at that moment, and two w