She's an unlucky old craft as ever I sailed in, and if the
skipper a'n't mighty careful, he'll never get her across. I've sworn
against sailing in her several times, but if I get across in her this
time, I'll bid her good-by; and if the owners don't give me a new craft,
they may get somebody else. We're just as sure to have bad luck as if we
had cats and parsons aboard."

Thus saying, he descended the companion-way, and reported the appearance
of the weather to the skipper, who arose quickly, and, consulting his
barometer, found it had fallen to near the lowest scale. After inquiring
the quarter of the wind, and how she headed, what sail she was carrying,
and the probable distance from the cape, he gave orders to call all
hands to take in the topgallant-sails, double reef the fore, and single
reef the maintop-sails, and stow the flying-jib--dressed himself, and
came on deck. Just as he put his head above the slide of the companion,
and stopped for a minute with his hands resting upon the sides, a vivid
flash of lightning hung its festoons of fire around the rigging, giving
it the appearance of a chain of livid flame.

"We'll catch the but-end of a gulf sneezer soon. Tell the boys to bear
a hand with them sails. We must get her snug, and stand by to lay
her under a double-reefed maintop-sail and jib, with her head to the
northward and eastward. We may make a clear drift--chance if it lasts
long," said Skipper Thompson, as he stood surveying the horizon and his
craft. Scarcely had he given the orders before the storm burst upon them
with all its fury. Its suddenness can only be appreciated by those who
have sailed in the West India passages, where the sudden shocks of the
short-chopping sea acts with a tremendous strain upon the hull of a
heavy-laden vessel. The captain ran to the windward gangway, hurrying
his men in the discharge of their duty, and giving another order to
clew up the coursers and foretop-sail. Just as the men had executed the
first, and were about to pull on the clew-lines of the latter, a sudden
gust took effect upon the bag of the sail and carried it clean from the
bolt-ropes. The halyards were lowered and the yards properly braced
up, while the Janson was brought to under the canvas we have before
described. In a few minutes more the wind had increased to a gale, and,
as the sailors say, several times the old craft "wouldn't look at it."
Several times we had to put her helm up, and as many times she