fore-trysail, a step that we might then very well take without
exciting any very strong suspicion on board the barque as to our
ulterior intentions, since the sea was by this time getting up to an
extent which made the exhibition of a small amount of canvas on board
the schooner not only justifiable but absolutely necessary. The sail
was accordingly set, and all risk of being pooped was, for the time at
least, done away with, and what was almost of equal importance in our
eyes, we now appeared to be holding our own with the sail ahead.

The watch had just been called when we noticed that the wind was backing
further round from the northward--a pretty conclusive indication that it
was a cyclone, or revolving storm, that we had encountered--and Ryan
began to be exceedingly anxious upon the subject of heaving-to, since,
as he explained to me, every mile that we now travelled carried us
nearer to the terrible vortex or "eye" of the storm. Still he could not
bring himself to do so while the barque held on, thus allowing her to
effect her escape from us a second time--assuming, of course, that she
really was, as we very strongly suspected, our former acquaintance; it
was therefore with a feeling of considerable satisfaction that we
shortly afterwards saw her start her fore-topsail sheets with the
evident intention of clewing up the sail, if possible, preparatory to
heaving-to.

"Ah!" exclaimed Ryan, admiringly, "that fellow is no fool; he scents
danger ahead; he has been in a cyclone before to-day, I'll warrant, and
seems to know exactly what he is about. There goes his topsail, clean
out of the bolt-ropes, as I expected it would; but I do not suppose he
ever seriously hoped to save the sail. And now over goes his helm, and
there he rounds-to--ah-h! look at _that_! on her beam-ends, by all
that's--no--no--she is righting again--good! very prettily done,
_v-e-r-y_ prettily done indeed! _Now_ she luffs!--excellent! capital!
You are all safe now, my man. We will run down to him, Harry, my bhoy,
and heave-to about a mile to leeward of him; then perhaps he will not
suspect us; he will gradually settle down towards us, as we shall lie
closer than he will; and when the wind drops we shall have him to do as
we like with."

It was a very anxious moment with us when, having run down to the spot
selected by Ryan, we eased the helm over to bring the schooner to _on
the starboard tack_--that being the correct tack upon which to he