true as my name's Joe Cummings, bo-sun of this ere saucy little Brigantine, the Fanny."

"Thank you, old fellow, for your good wishes. Now, Cummings, just step over to lee-ard, and see how the

sun sets."

"Well, I'm blest if that wornt wot I come to talk to you about, sir, for, do ye see, it looked very comical a bit ago."

"It strikes me, from certain signs, and a few observa tions that I have made, that we shall have some roguish wind to night. You, as well as I, have sailed many years in these latitudes, and are consequently well accustomed to them, therefore just step over to lee-ard there, and tell me what you think of it."

The boatswain again hitched up his trowsers, turned his quid over, and then, at the mate's request, literally rolled his fat body to the lee side of the vessel. After gazing at the setting sun for a short while, he went to the head and took a survey to windward, then returned aft, and once more addressed the mate.

"I'll tell you what I'm arter thinking, Mr. James—" "What, Cummings, what?"

"That we shall have a calm before long, and after that--you know what follows in these parts as well as I do. Had we not better have those royals and t'gallan-sels off on her, -I'm right down sartin sure, sir, that sweetly tapered spar at the fore will not stand the tail end o'this breeze which I can see yonder will soon be with us; the sun too looks unkimmun red and fiery, as though he meant to say there was something brewing that it would not do to play with. There will be an extra hand or two at the bellows there aloft to night, Mr. James, you may depend upon it—if there is not, sir, say that Joe

Cummings, bosun of this ere saucy little Brigantine, is no conjuror, and knows naught about it, that's all."

"I perfectly agree with you, old boy, for that was exactly my opinion of appearances before I asked you for yours-nevertheless two heads are better than one in these matters."

"Most certainly, sir, and in most matters too where ships and women are consarned."

"We'll hand the fore and main royals, haul in the stun'sels, and get the flying jib stowed away. Go forrard, Cummings, and see to this being done immediatly -bear-a-hand, old boy, bear-a-hand."

66

Ay, ay, sir," answered the boatswain, in a cheerful voice, as he sprung from the side of the mate to the fore part of the ship to see these orders executed.

It was well that Mr. James, had taken such prudent precaution in having the lesser sails furled. The tail end of the breeze, as the boatswain had prognosticated, was very strong, and there is no doubt but that it would have carried away the spars and smaller booms if the canvass had been allowed to remain upon them. Suddenly it ceased to be a breeze, and a dead calm was upon the ocean.

THE CALM.

A DEAD calm was upon the ocean.-A dismal and ominous croaking was heard to proceed from aloft: it was the voice of the Brigantine's consort vainly striving to settle her weary limbs upon the vane at the main-royalmast head; where she at length gained a footing. A hollow rumbling sound, like the rushing of a great wind, was heard beneath: the sea, which was fast rising into

mountain waves without the slightest wind to cause the same, emitted a strong smell. In a very short while a vast and heavy swell had come thereon, and the fiery setting sun was surrounded with a great bur.

The cracking sails of the Brigantine flapped loosely against their masts, and the last propelling power of that impetus which had so late given the craft her way through the brine having ceased to exist, she was no longer answerable to her helm-but there she lay rolling and labouring in the trough of the sea as clumsy and laggard in her motions as she was before all sprightliness and full of graceful activity.

"I'll tell you what I am arter thinking, sir," commenced old Cummings again, addressing the officer of the watch, "that I've weathered many a severe sneezer in these ere tropical latitudes with much less warning aforehand nor wot this swell and that dense black cloud there, away to the westward of the craft, now give us.”

"I dont like the appearance of the weather at all, Cummings," answered the mate; "neither do I know from what quarter to expect the wind; I don't like the dark and menacing look of yon nor-west sky; neither do I know how to interpret the dismal croaking of the bird aloft there."

"I'll tell you wot I've hard it said, sir, that them ere sort o' birds generally give that kind of ominous notice on the approach of a hurricane, and settle awhile, as she has done, for the purpose of resting their wings before taking leave of a doomed vessel. I'm not skipper of this ere craft, Mr. James, if I was, I'd soon have a good deal more o' this flapping canvass stripped off on her now there is no wind-it only makes the pretty creature strain herself the more as she rolls upon the swell of the sea, and is of no manner of use, as I can diskiver.'

"You are quite right there, Cummings-on the contrary, it might be of fatal consequence to all on board should we be suddenly taken aback by a nor-wester, so unprepared for its fury as we are at present. Ah! that vane seems steady now-wet your finger ends, old boy, and feel if there is a breath out there; the jib seems to draw a little, it may, perhaps, turn up a fine evening breeze after all our evil prognostications."

In

The boatswain did as he was desired; then, shaking his head with a most discouraging look, turned again towards the mate, and pointed to the nor-west sky. that direction, at a great distance off, the raging of the storm was very discernible. The close reefed topsails of a three masted and apparently, large ship, hull down, were just visible above the verge of the eastern horizon.

"I'll tell you what, Mr. James,-you are at this time officer of the watch, and therefore have the whole charge of this vessel upon you-now, sir, do not think that I wish to dictate to you, or to palaver you over to my way of thinking about the matter, when I say that if I was in your situation just now, I would most sartainly have those t'gallan-sels handed, the topsuls close reefed, and the main course brailed up, until we see wot is the upshot of yon dense black cloud. It appears to advance slowly now, but it may come on us by the run before long, with greater force than we can bargain for."

66

But, Cummings, the skipper has frequently given orders for me not to shorten sail without first consulting him-which command I have already disobeyed by what I have now done in that respect."

"I'll tell you what I'm arter thinking, Mr. James, that smart built young skipper of ours in the cabin below there, is werry like a young bear with all his troubles to

come-and no more fit to command a beautiful little creature like this ere craft, the Fanny, than I, Joe Cummings, her bosun, am fit to be a king among the savages on them ere Winkamalee islands."

66 He may in time make a sailor, and a good one too, Cummings, for he wants neither courage nor decision of character; but, at present, he is sadly too impetuous and inexperienced to have a command. It cannot be expected that I, in my present capacity, as chief mate of this craft, with the perfect knowledge I have acquired to fulfil the duties of that post by having spent the greater part of my life at sea-it cannot be expected, I say, that I should consult one so much younger and so ignorant as he is in nautical learning as to how it is necessary me to act under present circumstances-my spirit will not allow me to do it, and I cannot. Yet he is my captain," added the mate, as if hesitating what steps to take.

for

"I'll tell you what it is, Mr. James, those two sweetly tapered spars at the fore and main must go, I'm right down sartin sure that nothing can save 'em-unless, sir, you take my advice, and order the canvass to be stripped off on 'em."

"I see they have already taken the precaution you recommend on board the ship away there to the eastward of us."

"A smart skipper, her captain, I'll be bound for him," answered the boatswain, as he brought the telescope which Mr. James, had just put into his hand to bear upon the stranger; "he knows wot's wot, and has taken care to have his ship all snug before the squall catches her. I see she is a much larger craft nor wot we are."

"Here you boy, jump down into the cabin, inform