roar of a cataract, down
came the rain in a perfect deluge, thrashing the surface of the sea into
an expanse of ghostly, lambent, phosphorescent white that quickly spread
apparently to the extreme limits of the horizon, and filling our decks
so rapidly that it became necessary to open the ports fore and aft in
order to free them. This deluge lasted for about five minutes, when it
ceased as abruptly as it had begun; but even that short time had
sufficed to beat the sea down so smooth that the previous violent
rolling of the ship was reduced to a gentle, scarcely perceptible
oscillation.

"Now stand by to let run your fore and main-topsail halliards!" I
cried--a command which was responded to by a prompt "Ay, ay, sir!" from
the forecastle, the pattering of bare feet upon the deck, and the sound
of ropes falling smartly on the planking as the halliard-falls were
lifted off their pins and flung to the deck.

"How is her head?" I inquired of the helmsman.

"West-nor'-west, sir," was the reply.

"Man your starboard fore and main-braces, Mr Forbes," said I to the
second mate, who was standing by the break of the poop, peering
anxiously into the impenetrable gloom.

"Ay, ay, sir! Starboard fore and main-braces, lads. Be smart, now, and
lay the yards fore and aft before the squall breaks upon us!"

The men, who were evidently uneasy, and anxious to be doing anything
rather than spend their time in passive anticipation, sprang to the
braces and hauled the yards smartly round to a cheery "Yo heave ho;"
flattening in until they could get no more.

"Well there, belay!" commanded Forbes. And as he spoke a sudden,
powerful puff of warm air swept athwart the ship and was gone, causing
the topsails to flap violently once, and collapse again. This was
quickly followed by a second puff, heavier and rather less transient
than the last; indeed, it continued long enough to give the ship
steerage-way; for which I was deeply thankful, promptly availing myself
of it to order the helm hard up and get our bows pointed in a
north-easterly direction, so as to place the point in the horizon from
which we expected the squall dead astern of us. This was barely done
when Forbes cried out, in a voice the tones of which curiously expressed
a feeling of mingled alarm and relief--

"Stand by, sir; here it comes at last!"

CHAPTER FIVE.

A WRECK AND A RESCUE.

At the sound of the second mate's voice I turned, and saw, dead astern,