gnificent that even the careless sailors, used as most of
them were to the glories of the Southern sky, stood still to admire it,
and pronounced it "the finest show they'd ever seen, by a long way." Not
a cloud above, not a ripple below; the steamer's track lay across the
glassy water like a broad belt of light. All was so calm, so clear, so
bright, that it was hard to tell where the sea ended and the sky began.
The ship seemed to be floating in the centre of a vast bubble.

Suddenly the sun plunged below the horizon like a red-hot ball, and a
deep voice muttered in Frank's ear,

"We're a-goin' to catch it!"

At that moment, as if to bear out this gloomy prophecy, the boatswain's
hoarse call was heard:

"Stand by topsail sheets and halyards! Man the down-hauls! Clear away,
and make all snug!"

Instantly all was bustle and activity. While some stripped the yards and
clewed up the sails, others battened down the hatches, looked to the
lashings of the boats, and made everything fast. Still, though he
strained his eyes to the utmost, not the least sign of a storm could
Frank see, and at last he whispered to Herrick,

"How _can_ they tell that it's going to be rough?"

"The glass is falling, lad, and that's always enough for a sailor; but
there'll be more'n _that_ afore long. Ay, sure enough--see yonder!"

A streak of pale phosphorescent mist had just appeared on the port bow,
which spread and spread till it blotted out sea and sky, and all was one
dim, impenetrable pall. From the far distance came a strange, ghostly
whisper, while the sea-birds, which had hitherto kept close to the
vessel, flew away with dismal shrieks.

"Below there!" roared the boatswain. "Tumble up there, smart!"

Up flew the men, each darting at once to his own post--and not an
instant too soon. A huge white cloud seemed to leap upward through the
inky sky like smoke from a cannon, a long line of foam glanced like a
lightning flash across the dark sea, and then came a rush and a roar,
and over went the ship on her beam ends, and every man on board was
blinded, deafened, and strangled, all in one moment, while crash
followed crash, as doors, sky-lights, and port-shutters were torn away
or dashed to atoms.

Frank, who was just stepping out of one of the deck-houses when the
storm burst, was spun across the forecastle like a top, and would have
gone overboard had not a sailor clutched his arm, and pressed him down
on the deck by main force til