Part 23 (1/2)

”Oh, what is going to happen?” she asked, in an anxious tone

”A hurricane is, I fear, upon us,” I answered, ”and you will be safer below”

She no longer hesitated, and her father, aroused by my voice, happily came to assist her down

”Turn the hands up!” I shouted to dick, who hurried forward to rouse up the watch below

In less than a minute the other mates and the rest of the creere on deck Courses were hauled up, topgallant sheets were let fly, topsails lowered The crew had sprung aloft The fore-topsail was hauled, but before the men were off the yards, the hurricane was down upon us Over the shi+p heeled In an instant the topgallantsails were blown to ribbons

”Down, for your lives, down!” I shouted No human power could have handled the canvas noild roars lashi+ng furiously in the wind

The main and mizen-topsails were blown out of the bolt-ropes, and soon with innumerable coils encircled the yards The shi+p, relieved of the pressure of the sails, righted Happily the as off the land, or in a few minutes she would have been driven on shore Still there was the danger of it shi+fting; I therefore put the helm up, and ran off before the wind Every instant the sea rose, and as she got farther and farther froan to pitch and tu aloft with axes, at length cleared the topgallant yards, and we got the the , I was able to heave her to

Not till then could I venture to leave the deck On entering the cabin, I found ht which swung to and fro in the centre, I saw that they all looked pale and alarers from which they had lately escaped I didmy hopes that the hurricane would soon cease, and that, God protecting us, we ht be able to enter port

”Oh, then I have no fear,” exclai her head, she did her best to impart the sa, however, what ain to return quickly to the deck The gale howled and whistled through the rigging, the waves roared, and the sea, as it rose in wild billows around, every now and then broke on board, threatening to sweep our decks clear of all upon the from the clouds in vivid flashes, played around our ht, I knew full well, co down on deck, and set the shi+p on fire

Should also the wind shi+ft, we should lose ht helplessly on shore

It was a very anxious time; for I felt that I had not only the shi+p to look after, but her whom I loved e

Still the confidence in God's protecting care which has cheeredoccasion I knew too that it was enjoyed by my friends; for, from the conversations I had had with them, I had discovered that they possessed the sa those who differed froious subjects, they made the precepts of the Bible the rule of their lives

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

A HAPPY DISCOVERY

Morning broke at length How different was the appearance of the ocean to that it had presented the previous day! The dark-green foam-topped waves danced up wildly, the sky was of a murky hue, the wind roared and whistled as loudly as before, and the shi+p, instead of gliding on with calnity, tumbled and tossed as if she was a ed to come on deck I assisted her up Scarcely had she appeared, when there came a break in the clouds to the eastward, and the sun shone forth ”A good omen!” she exclaimed

”We may take it as such,” I answered; ”and I trust that before long the hurricane will cease, and He who holds the waters in His hands will save us froer”

The wind ceased almost as suddenly as it had arisen, the sea went down, and in a few hours ere able to clear the yards and bend fresh sails

Oncefor the land

My firstas pilot, soon after daylight the nextwe entered the harbour

The shi+p of necessity must I found be detained so, while she had received other daale As these could be repaired under the superintendence of ers on shore

Monsieur de Villereine had begged me to come to his house, which was situated about a mile from the town, but I felt compelled to accept Henri's invitation to accompany him and his sister to his father's house, a short distance farther off on the side of the mountain; and more so, as fro in and out of the carriage Poor fellow! h he had no apprehension of danger, that he was only returning home to die

I had asked Sophie whether she had ement to her father and et ho at present”