were evidently quite aware that the expedition upon which
they were engaged was by no means free from peril, for until they had
reached a distance too great to enable us to distinguish their actions,
I could see first one and then another glancing aloft and over his
shoulder at the sky, the action being invariably followed by the
exhibition of increased energy at the oar. They were clearly doing
their utmost, one and all; in fact the boats were making a downright
race of it for the brig; the men bending their backs and throwing their
whole strength into every stroke, churning the oily-looking surface of
the water into foam with their oar-blades, and leaving a long,
wedge-like wake behind them, while the two mates in charge, and who had
hold of the yoke-lines, were bowing forward at every stroke in true
racing style. Yet, rapid as their progress was, it did not satisfy
Mendouca, who, every time that he paused to watch their progress,
stamped upon the deck with impatience, and cursed the oarsmen for a set
of lazy, good-for-nothing lubbers.

And there was ample, justification for his anxiety; for scarcely had the
boats reached a quarter of a mile from the _Francesca_ than there was a
sudden and very perceptible darkening of the heavens, followed by a
vivid flash of lightning low down toward the eastern horizon, the low,
muffled boom of the thunder coming reverberating across the glassy water
with the sound of a cannon-shot rolled slowly along a timber floor.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

AN AWFUL CATASTROPHE.

Presently, after one of his frequent halts, Mendouca turned and gave
orders to shorten sail. "Clew up and haul down fore and aft; stow
everything except the main-staysail; and see that you make a snug furl
of it, men!" he cried; adding, as he turned to me--

"We might as well be snugging down as doing nothing; and perhaps the
sight will put some life into the movements of those lazy rascals
yonder," pointing with his cigar as he spoke towards the boats.

"Possibly," I agreed. "And in any case it appears to me that the time
has fully arrived for the commencement of such preparations as you may
think fit to make for the coming blow, which, in my humble opinion, is
going to be rather sharp while it lasts."

"Yes; no doubt," Mendouca assented. "Curse those lazy hounds! Have
they no eyes in their heads to see what is brewing? If they don't wake
up, they will have the squall upon them before they reach the brig."