shoulder.

"That's her," he said; "at least all that remains of her," and he
pointed to some black timbers just appearing above the surface of the
water.

"Yes; that's her," Jack said. "I heard from my uncle that they blew her
up three weeks ago."

"Rather a different scene from what it was that day," the mate, whose
name was Hoare, said. "I thought it was all up with us, and even when we
saw you coming we hardly believed that you could get near enough to take
us off; and now it is as smooth as glass."

"It was a lucky day for me, sir, that was," Jack said. "I had then
nothing to look forward to, beyond sailing a bawley; now I have got the
life I always wanted to follow, and every prospect of getting on."

"That you have, my lad," Hoare agreed. "It was a rare bit of luck for
you that you made us out, no doubt, and a rare bit of luck for us too."

The voyage began well. The wind continued light and in the right quarter
all the first week. Jack and his companions were not idle, and always
went aloft with the watch when there was occasion to make any change
with the sails. This was at first a trial for Arthur Hill; but Jim
Tucker was an old hand at it, and Jack, who had often had to make his
way up the _Bessy's_ mast when she was rolling heavily, was soon quite
at home on the yards of the _Wild Wave_. For two hours every morning the
three boys worked at navigation, Mr. Hoare acting as instructor.

So smooth was the sea and so slight the motion that Jack could hardly
believe that he was sailing down through the Bay of Biscay, of which he
had heard so much; and he was quite surprised when, on the fifth day
after sailing, Mr. Hoare pointed to land on the port bow, and told him
that was Portugal.

"We have had capital luck, so far," the officer said. "If the wind does
but hold till we once get fairly round Cape St. Vincent, it may change
as soon as it likes into any quarter except the east, and we are not
very likely to get that at this time of the year."

"I should not mind a change of wind a bit, sir," Jack said; "it would
bring us something to do."

"Ah, yes; after being accustomed to go about every five minutes or so on
the Thames, I understand you finding this monotonous, Jack. When you
have had a little more of the sea, you won't mind how much you get of
fine weather and favouring winds. As for storms, I don't care if I never
see another. They are very grand to read of in books, and when you have
got a stout