A Final Reckoning

thinks we are going

yone with half an e

is it likel

ere ain't no saying which way it may take us. I thought things had been going on too smooth to last. Now

be much heavier

uch difference between a capful of wind in the Channel, and a

ast long,

. I've wondered sometimes to myself where all the wind comes

work round an

straight, and I have known vessels run for days-ay, for weeks-with the wind blowing all the time in the same quarter. Some have been blown down right to the edge of the ice, south. I have been among the icebergs myse

nce does that

ain't had no trouble with them. The ship is kept liberal, and the poor wretches ain't cheated out of the rations as government allows them. The officer in charge seems a good sort, and there's no knocking of them about, needless; so there ain't no fear of trouble, as long as things

ou are, Bill! I didn't

about it, some day. I ain't saying as I expect any such thing will happen, on board the Paramatta. God forbid. She's a tight ship, and she's got as good officers and c

ken off, abruptly, by th

aloft to sh

the beginning of the performa

order was expected; for the signs of the weather could, by this time, be read by every sailor on board. Above, t

ptain shouted; "don't hurry over

every mile we get away from land is an advantage, and we have been running nearly due s

d. "We are going to have it, and no mistake, pr

the captain said. "It's down an i

arines, "will you kindly place your men under the orders of Mr. James? I

wed them and, in little over half an hour from the time the men began to ascend the shrouds, the Paramatta was metamorphosed. Her tall tapering masts and lofty spread of sail were gone. Every spar

complished. Now we are in rea

abin, and returned

nch, Mr. James," he said gravely. "I

rise from the water's edge and reach far up into the sky, the circle of view extending scarce half a mile in any direction; "I must ask you to go below, at once. The storm may

hts securely. When this was done, he aided the marines in nailing tarpaulins over the cabin skylights, and then went round the deck, seeing that every movable article

men down, captain

e gale strikes her. That will be the critical moment. Once past that, she will be all right till the sea begins to

ow many of them have been to sea before, and m

he young officer said, glancing up

n said; "but this is not going to be an ordinary gale.

ave another five m

; but I should think so

op sail off he

ling Bill Hardy and two others of the best

steadily, they proceeded to furl and stow the sail. There was

k!" the captain shouted; but the work was just done, and

ptain said reverent

utive try sail on the mizzen, and the jib. The hum had increas

; "you may be at sea fifty yea

dging of cloud seemed to be circling, with extreme velocity. The light seemed to pierce straight down o

orm, my lad. Here it comes.

le hand; and the vessel heeled over and over, until the deck seemed to rise in a wall above him. Then the water poured over him and, th

ilors knew what was required, and hauled upon the lee brace of the fore-top-sail yard. The Paramatta was still lying nearly over on her beam ends, but gradually her head began to pay off, and she slowly r

n's ear. "I thought she was gone. Just a li

precisely the same words t

her, when the sea gets up. Call some of the hands aft, and get this try sai

r. There was little motion, for the sea had not begun to get up, seeming to be pressed flat by the force of the wind. T

is running on an even keel now, though that

e, captain; and I think we have all of us go

ons of iron on board, and it's all stowed at the bottom of the cargo, so th

look round, and then go below and turn in. Now you can do so

nly in heaps, now striking the ship on one side, now on another, and pouring sheets of water over her bulwarks. The motion of the vessel was so tremendous that even Bill Hardy and the older seamen could only mo

ght helm was kept upon her, so as to edge her out from the centre of the storm; and the second circle of the compass took

iolent jerks, now on one side, now on the other; now plunging her bow so deeply down that she seemed about to dive, head foremost, beneath the waves; now thrown bodily upwards, as if tossed up by some giant hand beneath her. The watch off duty

Bill," Reuben sai

before long. Nothing could stand such straining as this. You had best turn in at once. Unless I am mistaken, it will be all hands to th

e, too, was terrific-the rush and swell of the water overhead, the blows which made the ship shiver from stem to stern, the creaking of the masts, and howling of the w

crash was heard. A moment later the d

ne! All hands to c

g behind, threatened, with each heavy following sea, to plunge into the vessel's stern. A cheer broke from the men as the last rope was cut, and the wr

pon the fore mast. The main mast may go, if it likes, and at present we sh

I will set abo

best hands, the first mat

e well, Reuben,"

nce, and returned in

r feet of wate

you sure?" the c

sure,

the second officer, and went below with Reuben. F

r that the bumping of the mizzen, before we got rid of it, must have st

passengers, one by one, had retired to their cabins. H

the main-deck pumps. I can't spare any of the crew, t

ly were they worked, for it was next to impossible for the men to

t. One moment they hung loosely; and then, as the vessel rolled over, tightened the

im that I am going to get rid of the main-top mast. Tell h

the wind from tearing him from his grasp of the shrouds, but at length he reach

ill I get the back stay secured. I will

gained the deck, "and stand by this stay. When you se

ssel rolled over, and then lifted his axe. The two blows fell together on the stays. A moment later the vessel began to rise again. As the je

ut away the connections on the other side, and

and she worked much easier. In half an hour, the first officer returned on deck

centre of the storm. We shall soon have the waves racing behind us, like mountains, and we shall ha

d it was found that the water

must take two or three hands, and work your way aft in th

t once, sir,

ath, to a certainty. You must wait till we are out of this tumble. If the water gains no faster than it does now

ous, but he could feel a sensible change from what it was before. The motion of the ship was less

the sea had changed. It was no longer a mass of leaping, tumbling water; but was running in long waves, following each other, rising high above the

ft now. I will send Bill and Dick Whistler wi

hich the upper tier of cargo lay heaped against the sides showed that it would, as the captain said, have been impossible to enter while the motion was at its worst. The rolling, however, had

can hear the rushing of water, somewhere belo

together that it was difficult, in the extreme, to move them. It took two hours' hard work before they reached the leak. As the captain had supposed, t

er," Bill said. "All the pumps in the shi

. Then he set to work to jam down sail cloth and oakum between this barrier and the plank that had started, driving it down with a marlinespike and mallet. It was a long

. "Half an hour's work once a week will keep her dry,

r by turns. On sounding the well, he found that the water had fallen nine inches since he had last ascert

hold, to watch the progress of the work. Reuben repo

ill. Some of the seams must have opened. I have been looking her over, and can't find out where it is;

deep valley, then her stern mounted high on a following wave, and she seemed as if she must slide down, head foremost. Higher and higher the wave rose, sending her

n. The galley had been carried away, but the cook had just made a shift to boil a cauldron of coffee below, and a mug of this was served out to all hands. As Reuben broke a biscuit int

urn in; and Reuben was soon in a glow of warmth beneath his blankets and, l

tween the appearance of the Paramatta at the same hour on the previous day, and that which she presented now, struck Reuben very strongly. Sadly, indeed, she looked with mizzen mast gone, the main mast shortened to the cap, and all the uppe

at abated, but it still blew much too hard for anything to be done towards getting up fresh

d. "Its been getting colder every day,

gh a week. We have been making a little easting, but that is all, and we

to see an icebe

xpected we should have seen them before, but this gale must have blown them south a bit. They work up with the north

might get under its lee and repair

nder it, and the berg drifting down upon you, going perhaps four knots an hour. No, the farther you keep away fro

water in the hold; but since then they have been a-grumbling, and last night I hear there was a rumpus, and six of them was put in irons. Tha

Bill pointed to

hing odd about

, "except that it's

blink. You see if we ain't in the middle of bergs befo

he first mate was hear

going to try to rig a jury mizzen, so as

s raised alongside the stump of the mizzen mast; and was there lashed securely, the guys being fastened as stays to the bulwarks. Blocks

inutes the two officers carefully examined the horizon. No sooner did the captain regain the deck than he ordered the try sail to be ho

remarked to Mr. Hudson. "The sea is still heavy but, if tha

much of it

them. However, I think we shall do, if the wind does not freshen again. If it does, we must do our best to mak

do so now

ss there is gross carelessness on the part of their guard, there is little fear of an outbreak. But once let them get on land, the matter is changed altogether. They are nearly three to one as against the warders