les of low country flooded, the villages washed away, and a
frightful loss of life. I have been in one or two sharp blows up the
bay, but never in a cyclone; though I have been in one in the China
Seas. That was bad enough in all conscience."

The wind fell lighter as they made their way up the coast. They kept
well out from the land, and had not sighted it since leaving Ceylon. So
light were the winds that it was some days before Mr. Timmins told them
that they were now abreast of Madras.

"How much longer shall we be before we are at the mouth of the Hoogley,
sir?"

"It depends upon the wind, lad. With a strong breeze aft we shall be
there in three or four days. If we have calms we may be as many weeks."

Another week of light baffling winds, and then the breeze died away
altogether and there was a dead calm. The sun poured down with great
force, but the sky was less blue and clear than usual. At night it was
stiflingly hot, and the next morning the sun again rose over a sea as
smooth as a sheet of glass.

"I wonder what the captain and the two mates are talking about so
seriously," Jack said as the three lads leant against the bulwarks in
the shadow of the mainsail.

"I expect they are wondering whether the pitch won't melt off her
bottom," Jim Tucker said with a laugh; "or what will happen if all the
crew are baked alive. I am sure it is pretty well as hot as an oven."

"The sky looks rather a queer colour," Jack said, looking up. "You can
hardly call it blue at all."

"No, it is more like a dull gray than blue," Arthur Hill said. "Hallo!
What is up, I wonder?"

The captain had disappeared in his cabin, and on coming out had said a
few words to Mr. Timmins, who at once went to the edge of the
quarter-deck and shouted "all hands to shorten sail." The vessel was
under a cloud of canvas, for every sail that could draw had been set
upon her to make the most of the light puffs of wind. Some of the young
seamen looked as if they could hardly believe their ears at the order;
but Jack heard one of the older sailors say to a mate as they ran up the
ratlines, "What did I tell you half an hour since, Bob: that like enough
we should have scarce a rag on her by sunset."

The lads sprang up the ratlines with the men, for they took their share
of duty aloft. Arthur's place was in the mizzen, Jim's in the main, and
Jack's in the fore-top. The stunsails were first got in, then the royals
and topgallant-sails. The men wer