hooner. But then it shot off to the westward,
churning the water into a foam behind it.

"It's going away," murmured Luke, when once more the waterspout made a
curve and then shot directly toward them. It was off the port bow and
less than a hundred feet away. It looked as if the old _Columbia_ was
surely doomed!

CHAPTER X

SOMETHING ABOUT WAR AND FIGHTING SHIPS

"It's going to strike the ship!"

"It will cut us to pieces!"

"Throw the schooner over on the other tack!"

These and several other cries rang out on the deck of the _Columbia_.
All felt their hearts come up into their throats as the roaring,
swirling mass of water came closer and closer, until the spray drenched
them completely. The ocean was churned into a white foam and the wind
seemed to suck and blow in all directions at once.

But, just as it looked as if the schooner would be buried beneath a
veritable mountain of water, the waterspout took another curve and slid
away, along the side of the ship and off the stern. The man at the wheel
came close to being carried overboard by the deluge he received and the
_Columbia_ bobbed up and down like a cork. But in another moment the
waterspout was an eighth of a mile distant.

"What a--a narrow escape," faltered Larry, when he felt able to speak.
"I thought we were bound for the bottom sure!"

"Thet's the closest I ever was to any waterspout," came from Luke, as he
wiped his wet brow. "Reckon we can thank Providence we ain't in Davy
Jones' locker this minit!"

Captain Ponsberry did not say much, but kept his eyes fixed on the
waterspout, which was making fantastic curves across the bosom of the
Pacific. At times it was close by and then it would go half a mile or
more away. It was a fascinating scene, full of dread, and gave more than
one onlooker a chill down his backbone.

"I wish it would go away completely," went on Larry.

But this was not to be. The waterspout kept within sight for a good
half-hour, although it did not come near them again. At last it grew
less and less, off to the southwestward, and finally vanished
altogether. The glass was used in that direction, but nothing save a
clear horizon could be located.

"We are clear of it at last," said Captain Ponsberry, and breathed a
long sigh of relief.

"Waterspouts are mighty dangerous things," said Grandon, after the scare
was over. "When I was on board of the brig _Ben Franklin_ we ran into a
spout off the coast of Brazil,