s. Still the wind did not stir, and even the
swell appeared to be going down. Hour after hour passed away.

"Our skipper is a good officer, there's no doubt about it," observed
some of the younger men as they walked the forecastle. "But he's
sometimes overmuch on the safe side, and if a moderate breeze were to
spring up, and an enemy appear in sight, she'd slip away long before we
could be in a fit state to go after her."

"You are very wise, mate, I daresay," said Abel Bush, who heard the
remark. "But just suppose the Captain is right and you wrong, how
should we look if the squall caught us with all our light sticks aloft
and our canvas spread? Old Harry Cane, when you meet with him in these
parts, is not a chap to be trifled with, let me tell you."

The younger seaman might have replied, but the force of Abel's argument
was considerably strengthened by a loud roaring sound which broke on
their ears. Far, too, as the eye could reach, the ocean appeared torn
up into a vast mass of foam, which rolled on with fearful rapidity,
preceded by still higher undulations than before, which made the ship
roll, and pitch, and tumble about in a way most unusual and alarming.
The officers, speaking trumpet in hand, were issuing the necessary
orders to try and get the ship's head away from the coming blast; but
the little wind there yet was refused to fill the head sails, and only
made them beat and flap against the masts.

"I told you so, mates," said Abel Bush as he passed Ned Marline, the
young seaman who had been criticising the Captain's arrangements; "never
do you fancy that you know better than your elders till you've had as
much experience as they."

Paul Pringle had been watching the _Thunderer_. He had served on board
her; he had many old shipmates now belonging to her; and he naturally
took a deep interest in all concerning her.

"She's a fine old ship, that she is!" he exclaimed as he cast a last
glance at the gallant seventy-four, before turning to attend to his
duty.

She was then not a quarter of a mile to leeward. Now down came the fury
of the hurricane; with a roar like that of a wild beast when it springs
on its prey, the tempest struck the _Terrible_. The headsails, which
alone were set, in an instant were blown from the boltropes, and flew
like fleecy clouds far away down to leeward. The helm was put up, but
the ship refused to answer it. The tempest struck her on the side. The
stout masts bent