ng, and had
just returned from Aix or Toulon.

"Good-day, Penelon," returned Morrel, who could not refrain from smiling
through his tears, "where is the captain?"

"The captain, M. Morrel,--he has stayed behind sick at Palma; but please
God, it won't be much, and you will see him in a few days all alive and
hearty."

"Well, now tell your story, Penelon."

Penelon rolled his quid in his cheek, placed his hand before his
mouth, turned his head, and sent a long jet of tobacco-juice into the
antechamber, advanced his foot, balanced himself, and began,--"You see,
M. Morrel," said he, "we were somewhere between Cape Blanc and Cape
Boyador, sailing with a fair breeze, south-south-west after a week's
calm, when Captain Gaumard comes up to me--I was at the helm I should
tell you--and says, 'Penelon, what do you think of those clouds coming
up over there?' I was just then looking at them myself. 'What do I
think, captain? Why I think that they are rising faster than they have
any business to do, and that they would not be so black if they didn't
mean mischief.'--'That's my opinion too,' said the captain, 'and I'll
take precautions accordingly. We are carrying too much canvas. Avast,
there, all hands! Take in the studding-sl's and stow the flying jib.' It
was time; the squall was on us, and the vessel began to heel. 'Ah,' said
the captain, 'we have still too much canvas set; all hands lower
the mains'l!' Five minutes after, it was down; and we sailed under
mizzen-tops'ls and to'gall'nt sails. 'Well, Penelon,' said the captain,
'what makes you shake your head?' 'Why,' I says, 'I still think you've
got too much on.' 'I think you're right,' answered he, 'we shall have a
gale.' 'A gale? More than that, we shall have a tempest, or I don't know
what's what.' You could see the wind coming like the dust at Montredon;
luckily the captain understood his business. 'Take in two reefs in the
tops'ls,' cried the captain; 'let go the bowlin's, haul the brace, lower
the to'gall'nt sails, haul out the reef-tackles on the yards.'"

"That was not enough for those latitudes," said the Englishman; "I
should have taken four reefs in the topsails and furled the spanker."

His firm, sonorous, and unexpected voice made every one start. Penelon
put his hand over his eyes, and then stared at the man who thus
criticized the manoeuvres of his captain. "We did better than that,
sir," said the old sailor respectfully; "we put the helm up to run
before th