nd they were now all huddled and clustered together
upon the forecastle, discussing the situation in low, murmured tones,
and holding themselves in readiness, like hounds in the leash, to spring
into activity at the first word of command.

The moaning and wailing sounds were now floating all round us, and
presently, making itself rapidly audible above them, we became conscious
of a deep, fierce, bellowing roar that seemed to be approaching us on
our starboard beam, the schooner's head being then about north-west.

"Here it comes!" exclaimed Ryan, in a hoarse tone of suppressed
excitement. "Get hold of a belaying-pin each, you two, or you will
stand a very good chance of being blown overboard. Starboard your helm;
hard over with it, my man. Get under the lee of the starboard bulwarks,
men. Carpenter, are your axes ready in case we should be obliged to cut
anything away?"

"All ready, sir," came the reply, scarcely audible above the roar of the
tempest that was now close upon us; and as the man spoke a fierce gust
of wind laden with salt mist swooped down upon us and careened the
schooner almost to her covering-board as it filled the foresail with a
jar and a report like that of a nine-pounder. This blast was only
momentary, however, it was upon us and gone again in an instant, but it
was quickly succeeded by others; and then, away in the gloom, right
abeam of us, appeared a white, spectral glimmer swooping down upon the
schooner with the speed of a race-horse, and spreading momentarily wider
athwart the blackness as it came. It was a line of white foam churned
up on the surface of the sea by the advancing hurricane, and all behind
it the ocean was white as milk. The air was now in violent motion all
about us, fierce eddies swooping hither and thither, but generally in
the same direction as that from which the gale was approaching. Another
heavy salt-laden gust struck us, lasting just long enough to give the
schooner way and render her obedient to her helm, and then the deep bass
roar rose into a deafening, yelling medley of indescribable sounds as
the gale struck us, and the poor little schooner bowed beneath the blow
until the water poured in over her lee gunwale and I thought that she
was going to "turn the turtle" with us. The foresail stood the strain
for just an instant, and then it split to ribbons, and was torn from the
bolt-ropes as cleanly as though the work had been done with a knife.
But the good sa