The Missing Ship | Page 3

not run the risk of having the ship pooped,
and there will be a great chance of that happening before long, unless
we have merely caught the tail of the hurricane."
The boy hurried on deck and gave the orders he had received. He found
that the mate had anticipated them. The carpenter was at that moment
coming aft to close the stern-ports, while several hands were going
aloft to loose the fore-topsail. The mate had seen the necessity for this,
as already the furious wind had lashed the ocean, hitherto so calm, into
wildly leaping seas, which came rushing up on both sides of the vessel,
with foaming crests like war-steeds charging on the foe; but onward she
flew before them, now rising to the summit of a wave, now pitching
down into the trough on the farther side. It needed all the strength of
the crew to reef and set the sail. The carpenter, as soon as he had
performed his task, went forward again to assist the rest, while the mate
and Gerald took the helm. The sail was at length set, and the men came
down off the yard. The mate kept an anxious eye on the canvas,
doubting much whether it would stand the tremendous strain put on
it--he expected every moment to see it blown away from the
bolt-ropes--but it was stout and new. He had little fear of the rigging,
for every inch of it he had himself assisted in turning in and setting up,
and not a strand had parted--all was thoroughly served. He now
summoned one of the best hands to relieve him at the helm; he then had
a spare fore-topsail got up on deck ready to bend, should the first be
carried away. Having made every arrangement which as a good seaman
he considered necessary, he sent Gerald back into the cabin to report to
the captain; he would, he knew, be anxious to learn how things were
going on. Gerald, who was an enthusiastic admirer of the mate, did not
fail to tell all that had been done.

"He is a good seaman, father, that mate of ours," he exclaimed.
"I can always trust him to do the right thing," observed the captain.
"He is as fine a fellow as ever stepped," answered Gerald, warmly;
"when I thought the ship was going over, I looked at him, and there he
stood, as calm and unmoved as if we had been running before a light
breeze with all sail set."
Norah's eye brightened as her brother spoke, and a smile played over
her countenance, though she said nothing.
"You will do well to imitate him, Gerald," remarked the captain; "he is
calm and confident because he thoroughly knows his business and what
will have to be done under every emergency. A better seaman never
trod the deck of a merchant vessel, or a king's ship either. When this
voyage is over, as Norah insists on my not going to sea again, I intend
to get the owners to give him the command of the Ouzel Galley--they
know their own interests too well to refuse my request. Before long you
will be old enough, Gerald, to become second mate, and perhaps, if the
stout ship meets with no mishap, to command her one of these days,
should Owen get a larger craft, or take it into his head to come and live
on shore."
Gerald was glad to hear his father speak in this style; it showed that he
was already getting better and recovering his spirits, which had been
much cast down, especially since the death of so many of the crew. He
now inquired how the others were getting on, and sent Gerald forward
to learn. He soon came back with the report that two already seemed
much better, but that the third had as yet shown no signs of
amendment.
"They'll pick up, poor fellows, when we get into a cooler latitude,"
observed the captain. "I feel myself already another man, and hope to
be on deck in a day or two."
Tim, the cabin-boy, now entered to prepare the table for supper. It still
wanted an hour or more to-night, but that meal in those days was taken

earlier than at present. Pompey, notwithstanding the way the vessel was
tumbling about, had managed to keep his fire in and to cook some broth
for the captain and the sick men--for they were unable to partake of
more substantial fare. Norah had become so accustomed to a sea life in
all weathers, that she was able to attend to her father and to take her
seat at table. Tim, as soon as he had placed the dishes, well secured
with the usual puddings and fiddles, went to summon the