Part 11 (1/2)

He took another turn or so, and then stopped, looking to the northward

He had, at first, intended again setting all the sail the shi+p would carry before the wind; but onthe clouds in that quarter, he detere The clouds, he observed, were increasing in nuether, and the first freshness of the iven way to an oppressive and heavy air, which seeh down their spirits The wind, which had hitherto been so steady, though varying in strength, now dropped considerably, and began to veer about, so as to require the hands constantly at the braces Bowse fully felt the responsibility of the command intrusted to hiers would depend very lad to be alone, to think over as best to be done under the circu, he felt pretty sure, and that it would come fro duration, or whether one of those sudden gusts, those short-lived te suh he was inclined to think it would be the latter; then, that so, he felt alh his pride would not allow hi the armament of the _Zodiac_, would attempt to attack her openly At the same time this was an additional object of anxiety, and would require caution

The watch, with bare feet, and trousers tucked up to their knees, with buckets in their hands, were e decks, and as they splashed the water along the planks, and up the inner sides of the bulwarks, they laughed and jested in very buoyancy of spirits; and played off on each other various little practical jokes, which the presence of the second mate, who superintended and aided in the operation, alone prevented fro of a more boisterous character

The poop deck, where the captain alking, had already been washed, and the people were now in the waist, and were giving a fewfurther forward, when Colonel Gauntlett, in his forage cap, a richly flowered dressing-gown, and Turkish slippers, made his appearance at the co a copious shower-bath from the contents of a bucket dashed across the deck at that moment

”Hillo, ht the shi+p recked, with all that splashi+ng and scrubbing One would suppose that the vessel was as dirty as those Augean stables that fellow Hercules had to clean, by all the water you use”

”It's cheaper than pipe-clay, and cleaner, for it's to be had for the taking, and don't leave any dust,” muttered Jem Marlin, as the offender

”It may be cheap, but it h of it outside, as it is,” answered the colonel, not hearing the reference to pipe-clay ”So I beg in future you won't let quite so ”

This was said, as he was standing with his body half-way down the companion ladder

He then observed theDutchman_?”

he asked in a jocose tone

”If you will step up here, I will tell you more about her, sir,”

answered the master; and, thus summoned, the colonel picked his way over the wet deck to where he was standing ”I think it right, Colonel Gauntlett, to tell you, that youto have a blow of it, shortly; and I want you to look at that brig out there What do you --I can't even see her,” said the colonel ”Do you uish what that little black mark is out there?”

”Yes, Colonel Gauntlett, I a or a shi+p, under her tops'ils, standing to the eastward, and that the other, you see, to the north of her, is a felucca or speronara

Now, sir, if there is any credit to be placed in the letter we got last night, and in the account the two Sicilians who caot at Malta, we are likely to fall in with a brig which is no better than she should be, and which is in connection, some way or other, with that sa on the same course that we are; yet, for soe: perhaps, she is waiting for us to come up with her

Then there floats just such another craft as the speronara, supposing it is not she herself: so, if we are to fall in with a pirate, I cannot help thinking that brig ahead is the vessel That is one thing I have to mention to you, sir; and please to look to the south'ard and east'ard The black bank gathering there shows that we shall have a very different time of it to e had yesterday”

”Well, Mr Boould you have us do?” exclaimed the colonel, with rather a puzzled look ”Do you wish us to put back?”

”No, Colonel Gauntlett, I have been brought up in a school where it is not the custoerit,” replied the ht it my duty to inform you, sir, of what, in my opinion, is likely to occur; and, please Providence, we'll do our best to ers which may appear”

”I like your spirit, Bowse, and cordially agree with you,” exclai his hand ”Those black clouds may, after all, only indicate a squall; and, as for the pirate, if one falls foul of us I think we snail have no difficulty in handling him”

”I won't deceive you, sir; if you had been as much at sea as I have you would know that those clouds foretell a gale; but such a gale as I hope the _Zodiac_ eather without straining a timber; and, for the pirate, we must keep our weather eye open, that he does not take us unawares Perhaps, Providence tends the storm to keep us clear of the pirate My advice to you, sir, is to warn the young lady and herstowed in your cabin

I' to turn the hands up to shorten sail”

”I wish I could be of as side an eneood” Saying which, the colonel returned to the cabin

”All hands on deck to shorten sail,” sang out the master; and ere a minute had passed, the senior arnets were manned, and the foresail was quickly clewed up, and thealoft, it was securely furled The topsails were next lowered on the caps, whence they bulged out like big balloons, about to fly aith the masts