wouldn't listen--academical fellows,
these skippers--like every one else brought up in a profession.
So I mutinied and blew--her--up. He's wounded, by the way."

"Tell you what," yelled Billy, staggering up, "we'll be at the bottom
in two shakes if somebody don't handle her in these puffs.
Why, where's the wheel?"

"Gone," answered my father. "Blown away, it appears."

"_And_ she don't right herself!"

"Ballast has shifted. The gunpowder blew it every way. Well,
well--poor old John Worthyvale won't mourn it. I left him below past
praying for."

"Look here, Master Prosper," shouted Billy. "If the ship won't steer
we must get that mains'l in, or we're lost men. Run you and cast off
the peak halliards while I lower! The Lord be praised, here's Mike,
too," he cried, as Mike Halliday appeared at the hatchway, nursing a
badly burnt arm. "Glad to see ye, Mike, and wish I could say the
same to poor Roger. The devils knifed poor Roger, I reckon."

"No, they did not," said my father, in a lull of the wind.
"They knocked him on the back of the head and slid his body down the
after-companion. The noise of him bumping down the ladder was what
first fetched me awake. He's a trifle dazed yet, but recovering."

"'Tis a short life he'll recover to, unless we stir ourselves."
Billy clutched my father's arm. "Look 'ee, master! See what they
heathens be doin'!"

"We have scared 'em," said my father. "They are putting about."

"_Something_ has scared 'em, sure 'nough. But if 'tis from us they
be in any such hurry to get away, why did they take in a reef before
putting the helm over? No, no, master: they know the weather
hereabouts, and we don't. We've been reckonin' this for a
thunderstorm--a short blow and soon over. They know better, seemin'
to me. Else why don't they tack alongside and finish us?"

"I believe you are right," said my father, after a long look to
windward.

"And I'm sure of it," insisted Billy. "What's more, if we can't
right the ballast a bit and get steerage way on her afore the sea
works up, she'll go down under us inside the next two hours.
There's the pumps, too: for if she don't take in water like a basket
I was never born in Wendron parish an' taught blastin'. Why, master,
you must ha' blown the very oakum out of her seams!"

My father frowned thoughtfully. "That's true," said he; "I have been
congratulating myself too soon. Billy, in the absence of Captain
Pomery I appoint y