notice it before."

"It has just started," replied Juarez. "It wasn't there a moment ago. I
wonder what it means, and who is making it?"

"It is a common signal among uncivilized people," replied Jim. "Savages
the world over use smoke for signaling. They use it especially as a
warning against the approach of an enemy or of strangers."

"Well, what do you find of interest?" asked Berwick, joining them, the
captain following a moment later.

"We were just looking at that column of smoke over there," replied Tom.
"Do you think it is a signal of some kind?"

"What is that?" asked the captain.

"That column of smoke on the hill over there," repeated Tom.

"Eh, what! Start my plates!" exclaimed the captain. "We will have to
look into that a little later."

"See how straight it goes up," commented Jim. "There doesn't seem to be
a bit of air stirring."

"Not a bit, anywhere," assented Berwick. "Not enough for steerage way."

"I'm thinking we'll have all the wind we want and some to spare afore ye
know it," said the captain. "There's a hurricane abrewing or I miss my
guess."

"What? On this clear day?" asked the professor. "I don't see how you can
tell unless you feel it in your bones."

"No, but the barometer indicates something unusual. It is falling very
rapidly." Then scanning the horizon in all directions, he added, "I
wonder which way it is coming. That barometer is going down too fast for
comfort." Saying this, he called all hands and set about preparations
for a storm, concerning the coming of which there was not the slightest
apparent and visible indication.

"There it comes, now," cried the captain as a puff of wind from out of
the east filled the double reefed sails, and a little later a mist
blotted out the sun. "It is coming out of the east."

"Is there any danger?" asked the professor?

"Well," replied the captain, slowly, "lying off the lea shore, in a
hurricane isn't exactly the place I should pick out for safety."

"Can't you beat to windward?" suggested the professor.

"That's what we can try," returned the captain. "Hard down with the
helm! Pull in the sheets!" A heavier blast struck the sails now, and
heeled the yacht well over. "Steady as you are!"

Under the impulse of the wind, the yacht sprang forward with sails close
hauled, beating up into it.

"It's no use," admitted the captain, as the strength of the wind
increased. "We haven't gained an inch. Something must be done quickly."