icult--to give them up. He had formed his resolution and had laid
his plans; but all his plans had miscarried. Being a man of high temper
he had been driven almost to desperation, and sought relief to his
feelings in physical exertion.

Of all the men in the _Avenger_, however, no one was so much alarmed by
the captain's conduct as the first mate, between whom and Gascoyne there
had been a bitter feeling for some time past; and Manton knew (at least
he believed) that it would be certain death to him if he should chance
to thwart his superior in the mood in which he then was.

"That was a good shot, Manton," said Gascoyne, with a wild laugh, as the
fore-topsail yard of the _Talisman_ came rattling down on the deck,
having been cut away by a shot from Long Tom.

"It was, but _that_ was a better one," said Manton, pointing to the boom
of the schooner's mainsail, which was cut in two by a round shot, just
as the captain spoke.

"Good, very good," observed the latter with an approving nod; "but that
alters the game; down with the helm! steady!"

"Get the wreck of that boom cleared away, Manton, we won't want the
mainsail long. Here comes a squall. Look sharp. Close reef topsails."

The boom was swaying to and fro so violently, that three of the men who
sprang to obey the order were hurled by it into the lee scuppers.
Gascoyne darted towards the broken spar and held it fast, while Manton
quickly severed the ropes that fastened it to the sail and to the deck,
then the former hurled it over the side with as much ease as if it had
been an oar.

"Let her away now."

"Why, that will run us right into the Long Shoal!" exclaimed Manton,
anxiously, as the squall which had been approaching struck the schooner
and laid her almost on her beam ends.

"I know it," replied Gascoyne, curtly, as he thrust aside the man at the
wheel and took the spokes in his own hands.

"It's all we can do to find our way through that place in fine weather,"
remonstrated the mate.

"I know it," said Gascoyne, sternly.

Scraggs, who chanced to be standing by, seemed to be immensely delighted
with the alarmed expression on Manton's face. The worthy second mate
hated the first mate so cordially, and attached so little value to his
own life, that he would willingly have run the schooner on the rocks
altogether, just to have the pleasure of laughing contemptuously at the
wreck of Manton's hopes.

"It's worth while trying it," suggested Scrag