So, so, cried the captain, running upon deck. Ive been looking for it. Call all hands, Mr Millons, and take in sailevery rag, except the storm-trysails.
Glynn hurried forward, and in a few minutes every man was at his post. The sails were furled, and every preparation made for a severe squall; for Captain Dunning knew that that part of the coast of Africa off which the Red Eric was then sailing was subject to sudden squalls, which, though usually of short duration, were sometimes terrific in their violence.
Is everything snug, Mr Millons?
All snug, sir.
Then let the men stand-by till its over.
The night had grown intensely dark, but away on the starboard-quarter the heavens appeared of an ebony blackness that was quite appalling. This appearance, that rose on the sky like a shroud of crape, quickly spread upwards until it reached the zenith. Then a few gleams of light seemed to illuminate it very faintly, and a distant hissing noise was heard.
A dead calm surrounded the ship, which lay like a log on the water, and the crew, knowing that nothing more could be done in the way of preparation, awaited the bursting of the storm with uneasy feelings. In a few minutes its distant roar was heard,like muttered thunder. On it came, with a steady continuous roar, as if chaos were about to be restored, and the crashing wreck of elements were being hurled in mad fury against the yet unshattered portions of creation. Another second, and the ship was on her beam-ends, and the sea and sky were white as milk as the wind tore up the waves and beat them flat, and whirled away broad sheets of driving foam.
Chapter Eight.
The Storm, and its Results
Although the Red Eric was thrown on her beam-ends, or nearly so, by the excessive violence of the squall, the preparations to meet it had been so well made that she righted again almost immediately, and now flew before the wind under bare poles with a velocity that was absolutely terrific.
Ailie had been nearly thrown out of her berth when the ship lay over, and now when she listened to the water hissing and gurgling past the little port that lighted her cabin, and felt the staggering of the vessel, as burst after burst of the hurricane almost tore the masts out of her, she lay trembling with anxiety and debating with herself whether or not she ought to rise and go on deck.
Captain Dunning well knew that his child would be naturally filled with fear, for this was the first severe squall she had ever experienced, so, as he could not quit the deck himself, he called Glynn Proctor to him and sent him down with a message.
Well, Ailie, said Glynn, cheerfully, as he opened the door and peeped in; how dye get on, dear? The captain has sent me to say that the worst o this blast is over, and youve nothing to fear.
I am glad to hear that, Glynn, replied the child, holding out her hand, while a smile lighted up her face and smoothed out the lines of anxiety from her brow. Come and sit by me, Glynn, and tell me what like it is. I wish so much that I had been on deck. Was it grand, Glynn?
It was uncommonly grand; it was even terriblebut I cannot sit with you more than a minute, else my shipmates will say that Im skulking.
Skulking, Glynn! What is that?
Why, itsits shirking work, you know, said Glynn, somewhat puzzled.
Ailie laughed. But you forget that I dont know what shirking means. You must explain that too.
How terribly green you are, Ailie.
No! am I? exclaimed the child in some surprise. What can have done it? Im not sick.
Glynn laughed outright at this, and then proceeded to explain the meaning of the slang phraseology he had used. Green, you must know, means ignorant, he began.
How funny! I wonder why.
Well, I dont know exactly. Perhaps its because when a fellows asked to answer questions he dont understand, hes apt to turn either blue with rage or yellow with fearor both; and that, you know, would make him green. Ive heard it said that it implies a comparison of men to plantsvery young ones, you know, that are just up, just born, as it were, and have not had much experience of life, are green of coursebut I like my own definition best.
It may perhaps be scarcely necessary to remark that our hero was by no means singular in this little preference of his own definition to that of any one else!
Well, and what does skulking mean, and shirking work? persisted Ailie.
It means hiding so as to escape duty, my little catechist; but
Hallo! Glynn, Glynn Proctor, roared the first mate from the deckwheres that fellow? Skulking, Ill be bound. Lay aloft there and shake out the foretopsail. Look alive.
Ay, ay, sir, was the ready response as the men sprang to obey.
There, you have it now, Ailie, explained and illustrated, cried Glynn, starting up. Here I am, at this minute in a snug, dry berth chatting to you, and in half a minute more Ill be out on the end o the foreyard holding on for bare life, with the wind fit to tear off my jacket and blow my ducks into ribbons, and the rain and spray dashing all over me fit to blot me out altogether. Theres a pretty little idea to turn over in your mind, Ailie, while Im away.
Glynn closed the door at the last word, and, as he had prophesied, was, within half a minute, in the unenviable position above referred to.
The force of the squall was already broken, and the men were busy setting close-reefed topsails, but the rain that followed the squall bid fair to blot them out, as Glynn said, altogether. It came down, not in drops, but in masses, which were caught up by the fierce gale and mingled with the spray, and hurled about and on with such violent confusion, that it seemed as though the whole creation were converted into wind and water, and had engaged in a war of extermination, the central turmoil of which was the Red Eric.
But the good ship held on nobly. Although not a fast sailer she was an excellent sea-boat, and danced on the billows like a sea-mew. The squall, however, was not over. Before the topsails had been set many minutes it burst on them again with redoubled fury, and the main-topsail was instantly blown into ribbons. Glynn and his comrades were once more ordered aloft to furl the remaining sails, but before this could be done the foretopmast was carried away, and in falling it tore away the jib-boom also. At the same moment a tremendous sea came rolling on astern; in the uncertain light it looked like a dark moving mountain that was about to fall on them.
Luff, luff a littlesteady! roared the captain, who saw the summit of the wave toppling over the stern, and who fully appreciated the danger of being pooped, which means having a wave launched upon the quarterdeck.
Steady it is, replied the steersman.
Look out! shouted the captain and several of the men, simultaneously.
Every one seized hold of whatever firm object chanced to be within reach; next moment the black billow fell like an avalanche on the poop, and rushing along the decks, swept the waist-boat and all the loose spars into the sea. The ship staggered under the shock, and it seemed to every one on deck that she must inevitably founder; but in a few seconds she recovered, the water gushed from the scuppers and sides in cataracts, and once more they drove swiftly before the gale.
In about twenty minutes the wind moderated, and while some of the men went aloft to clear away the wreck of the topsails and make all snug, others went below to put on dry garments.