e bore the agonised look which I had
beheld before the fatal signal was given to the firing-party to perform
the work of death. They stretched out their hands to me to help them,
and moaned piteously, as I stood spell-bound, unable to move. One after
the other they came gliding by, and then sank down into the water ahead
of the schooner. I could stand the dreadful sight no longer, and
shrieked out in an attempt to go and help them.

"What's the matter, lad?" said the voice of Peter Poplar close to my
ear. "You are overtired--no wonder. Here--I have put a mattress and a
blanket for you under shelter. Lie down and take a little rest. You'll
want to use your strength perhaps before long. A sailor should always
eat when he can, and take his sleep when he can. He is never certain
when he may have to go without either food or rest."

I took Peter's advice, and very soon the feelings which oppressed me
wore off, and I fell soundly asleep.

I did not awake till the bright sun was just rising out of the
mirror-like sea. The calm was as perfect as before; and when I looked
for the land, I could only just make out its blue and hazy mountains
rising out of the ocean. Hot enough the weather was; but as the sun
glided upwards in the sky, a thick mist was drawn over the whole face of
nature. The captain and Mr Gale were on deck, and I saw them scanning
the horizon anxiously on every side. They seemed far from satisfied
with the look of the weather. Still for some time they could not make
up their minds how to act.

"What's going to happen now?" said I to Peter some time after this.

"Do you remember the breeze we had in Kingston Harbour on your first
voyage?" he asked.

"What? the hurricane do you mean? Indeed I do," I replied. "I hope we
are not going to have such another in this little craft out here."

"I'm not so sure of that, Jack," he replied. "The captain begins to
think so likewise. He'll be for making everything snug, if I mistake
not."

Peter was right. The order was soon given to strike topmasts, to furl
sails, to set up the rigging, to fasten down the hatches, to secure
everything below, and to lash the boats and all spare spars on deck.
Everything that could be accomplished was done to prepare the little
craft for the expected tempest.

Still everything around us was so calm and quiet that it required no
little faith in the judgment of our officers to believe that all this
preparation was nec