g, both catching
the wind at the same time, settled the matter.

Without making any further opposition to our wishes, the _Esmeralda_
payed off handsomely; and, rising up on the crest of an enormous green
roller, that had swept up to overwhelm her, but which now passed
harmlessly under her keel instead, she surged through the water,
gathering way every moment as she showed her heels to the gale,
careering over the stormy billows before the blast like a mad thing, as
if rejoicing in her freedom after so long being forced to lay to--
although the fore-topmast staysail, which had done such good work in
getting her head round, parted company as soon as the yards were braced
round, blowing away to atoms, and floating off in the distance in the
same kite-like fashion in which the jib had previously disappeared.

The loss, however, seemed to affect the ship's speed but little, for she
scudded off under bare poles at as great a rate as if she had all her
canvas set, and was running before a ten-knot breeze.

"Thank Heaven!" I heard Captain Billings exclaim in a low voice, taking
off his cap reverently, as soon as we were safely round before the wind;
and I could see his lips move as if in silent prayer. In this, I
confess, I joined with all my heart; for, if ever in my life I
experienced the feeling of religious emotion which causes us to express
our gratitude for rescue from peril, I had that feeling then!

The _Esmeralda_, though, was not out of all danger yet.

There was still the fear of her being pooped by the following waves,
which now raced after, in anger at her having escaped their clutches;
so, to lessen this possibility, the skipper had the reefed main-topsail
set again, and the mizzen trysail once more hoisted, so that the ship
might get through the water faster than the pursuing rollers. The
strain on the masts was tremendous; but, fortunately, everything held,
and under the impetus of this additional sail power she doubled her
speed, bidding defiance to the harpies of the ocean that had so nearly
worsted her in the combat.

It was just four bells in the afternoon watch when we got her head round
before the wind, although it was not until nearly midnight that the
hurricane blew itself out, the wind then dropping almost as suddenly as
it had sprung up twenty-four hours before.

During all this time, only one of the watches had a short spell below,
and neither the skipper, Jorrocks, nor I, had ever left the