distance to be
run was not great, they were very long about it. Light winds and calms
prevailed, and when there was a breeze, the other ships had to wait for
the _Concorde_, which, under jury-masts, made but slow progress. At
length land was sighted, and all hoped to get in the next day. As,
however, evening drew on the weather looked very threatening. Dark
clouds gathered rapidly in the sky. Squalls in quick succession swept
over the ocean, and a heavy sea got up, in which the ships plunged and
rolled as they made their way towards the harbour's mouth. Night coming
down on the world of waters, the rest were ordered by a signal from the
_Falcon_ to stand off the land till daylight. Ralph trembled for the
masts of the _Eagle_, and was still more anxious about those of the
_Falcon_, The night became very dark, and the gale increased. The
lights from the other ships could be distinguished at some distance
apart. The _Falcon_ and _Penguin_ appeared to be making fair way, and
the _Eagle_ behaved very well, but the _Concorde_ was evidently dropping
astern. Ralph had kept his eye on her lights. They grew dimmer and
dimmer. It was doubtful whether she was even holding her own. The
_Eagle_ was under close-reefed topsails, and could with difficulty carry
them. A perfect hurricane was blowing dead on shore. "Lord help those
on board the prize! I can nowhere see her lights," exclaimed old Jacob,
who had been looking out to leeward. "She must have carried away her
jury-masts, or her canvas has blown to ribbons, I fear. If not, we
shouldn't have lost sight of her."

Ralph looked in vain in the direction in which he had last seen the
lights of the _Concorde_, while those of the frigate and the whaler were
clearly visible, the former about a mile ahead of the _Eagle_, and the
latter rather further off, astern.

"If the wind doesn't change soon there'll go a good lump of prize-money
and the lives of a good many poor fellows," observed old Jacob.

"But won't she be able to steer for the harbour, Crane?" asked young
Chandos, who was, however, thinking more of his two messmates and others
on board than of prize-money.

"It will be a hard matter to find it, even if they can steer the ship at
all: and considering the way we knocked her about, it will be a wonder
to my mind if she doesn't go to the bottom before morning," answered old
Jacob with a sigh.

The anxious night passed away. When day dawned, it was found that