er roar of
the wind than before, and heard his uncle shout, "Brail up the main as
far as you can, Tom--the jib is about all we want now!"

Jack looked out from the fo'castle. The wind was blowing tremendously,
sweeping the heads off the waves and driving them into sheets of spray;
then great drops of rain struck the deck almost with the force of
bullets, and a minute later it came down almost in bucketfuls.

"Do you want me, uncle?" he shouted. His voice did not reach Ben's ears,
but he guessed what he had said and waved his hand to him to remain in
the fo'castle. Jack took off his sou'-wester and shook the water from
his oil-skin, and then opening the locker where the coke was kept
replenished the fire. It settled down so dark when the squall struck the
boat that he could scarce see across the little cabin. Regardless of the
howling of the wind and the motion of the vessel, he sat on the floor
putting in stick after stick to hasten up the fire. As soon as the
kettle boiled he put in a handful of tea and some sugar and took the
kettle off the fire, then he got a couple of large mugs and half-filled
them with tea, and sat balancing them until the fluid was sufficiently
cool to be drunk. Then tying on his sou'-wester again he made his way
out and gave a mug to each of the others.

"Go down below again, Jack!" his uncle shouted at the top of his voice,
and although Jack was within two or three feet of him, he scarcely heard
him. "There is nothing to be done at present here, and it is no use
looking out for the Swin Middle at present."

Jack took a look round before he went below. Away at some distance on
either hand were white masses of foam where the sea was breaking on the
sands. He went up to the bow and looked ahead through the darkness, then
he went back to his uncle. "I caught sight of a light right over the
bowsprit."

"Ah! they have lit up then," Tripper said. "I thought they would, for
it is almost as dark as night. You had best get the side-lights ready
and the flareup. I don't suppose we shall want them, for if we see a
steamer coming down we will give her a clear berth. They won't be able
to look far ahead in the face of this wind and rain." Jack went forward
again and lay down on the lockers. He thought little of the storm. It
was a severe one, no doubt, but with the wind nearly due aft, and a
weather tide, it was nothing to the _Bessy_, whose great beam in
comparison to her length enabled her to run easi