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〃Far　more　fear　from　above　than　from　below　just　now；〃　replied　Ready；　pointing　to　the　yard…arms　of　the　ship；　to　each　of　which　were　little　balls　of　electric　matter　attached；　flaring　out　to　a　point。　〃Look　at　those　two　clouds；　sir；　rushing　at　each　other；　if　I〃

Ready　had　not　time　to　finish　what　he　would　have　said；　before　a　blaze　of　light；　so　dazzling　that　it　left　them　all　in　utter　darkness　for　some　seconds　afterwards；　burst　upon　their　vision；　accompanied　with　a　peal　of　thunder；　at　which　the　whole　vessel　trembled　fore　and　aft。　A　crash　…　a　rushing　forward　…　and　a　shriek　were　heard；　and　when　they　had　recovered　their　eyesight；　the　foremast　had　been　rent　by　the　lightning　as　if　it　had　been　a　lath；　and　the　ship　was　in　flames：　the　men　at　the　wheel；　blinded　by　the　lightning；　as　well　as　appalled；　could　not　steer；　the　ship　broached　to　…　away　went　the　mainmast　over　the　side　…　and　all　was　wreck；　confusion；　and　dismay。

Fortunately　the　heavy　seas　which　poured　over　the　forecastle　soon　extinguished　the　flames；　or　they　all　must　have　perished；　but　the　ship　lay　now　helpless；　and　at　the　mercy　of　the　waves　beating　violently　against　the　wrecks　of　the　masts　which　floated　to　leeward；　but　were　still　held　fast　to　the　vessel　by　their　rigging。　As　soon　as　they　could　recover　from　the　shock；　Ready　and　the　first　mate　hastened　to　the　wheel　to　try　to　get　the　ship　before　the　wind；　but　this　they　could　not　do；　as；　the　foremast　and　mainmast　being　gone；　the　mizenmast　prevented　her　paying　off　and　answering　to　the　helm。　Ready；　having　persuaded　two　of　the　men　to　take　the　helm；　made　a　sign　to　Mackintosh　（for　now　the　wind　was　so　loud　that　they　could　not　hear　each　other　speak）；　and；　going　aft；　they　obtained　axes；　and　cut　away　the　mizen…rigging；　the　mizen…topmast　and　head　of　the　mizenmast　went　over　the　side；　and　then　the　stump　of　the　foremast　was　sufficient　to　get　the　ship　before　the　wind　again。　Still　there　was　much　delay　and　confusion；　before　they　could　clear　away　the　wreck　of　the　masts；　and；　as　soon　as　they　could　make　inquiry；　they　found　that　four　of　the　men　had　been　killed　by　the　lightning　and　the　fall　of　the　foremast；　and　there　were　now　but　eight　remaining；　besides　Captain　Osborn　and　his　two　mates。



Chapter　V

Sailors　are　never　discouraged　by　danger　as　long　as　they　have　any　chance　of　relieving　themselves　by　their　own　exertions。　The　loss　of　their　shipmates；　so　instantaneously　summoned　away；　…　the　wrecked　state　of　the　vessel；　…　the　wild　surges　burying　them　beneath　their　angry　waters；　…　the　howling　of　the　wind；　the　dazzling　of　the　lightning；　and　the　pealing　of　the　thunder；　did　not　prevent　them　from　doing　what　their　necessity　demanded。　Mackintosh；　the　first　mate；　rallied　the　men；　and　contrived　to　fix　a　block　and　strap　to　the　still　smoking　stump　of　the　foremast；　a　rope　was　rove　through　the　block；　and　the　main…topgallant　sail　hoisted；　so　that　the　vessel　might　run　faster　before　the　gale；　and　answer　her　helm　better　than　she　did。

The　ship　was　again　before　the　wind；　and　comparatively　safe；　notwithstanding　the　heavy　blows　she　now　received　from　the　pursuing　waves。　Night　again　came　on；　but　there　was　no　repose；　and　the　men　were　worn　out　with　exposure　and　fatigue。

The　third　day　of　the　gale　dawned；　but　the　appearances　were　as　alarming　as　ever：　the　continual　breaking　of　the　seas　over　the　stern　had　washed　away　the　binnacles；　and　it　was　impossible　now　to　be　certain　of　the　course　the　ship　had　been　steered；　or　the　distance　which　had　been　run；　the　leaky　state　of　the　vessel　proved　how　much　she　had　already　suffered　from　the　violent　shocks　which　she　had　received；　and　the　certainty　was　apparent；　that　if　the　weather　did　not　abate；　she　could　not　possibly　withstand　the　force　of　the　waves　much　longer。

The　countenance　of　Captain　Osborn　showed　great　anxiety：　he　had　a　heavy　responsibility　on　his　shoulders　…　he　might　lose　a　valuable　ship；　and　still　more　valuable　cargo；　even　if　they　did　not　all　lose　their　lives；　for　they　were　now　approaching　where　the　sea　was　studded　with　low　coral　islands；　upon　which　they　might　be　thrown　by　the　waves　and　wind；　without　having　the　slightest　power　to　prevent　it　in　their　present　disabled　condition。

Ready　was　standing　by　him　when　Captain　Osborn　said

〃I　don't　much　like　this；　Ready；　we　are　now　running　on　danger　and　have　no　help　for　it。〃

〃That's　true　enough；〃　replied　Ready：　〃we　have　no　help　for　it；　it　is　God's　will；　sir；　and　His　will　be　done。〃

〃Amen！〃　replied　Captain　Osborn　solemnly；　and　then　he　continued；　after　a　pause；　〃There　were　many　captains　who　envied　me　when　I　obtained　command　of　this　fine　ship；　…　would　they　change　with　me　now？〃

〃I　should　rather　think　not；　Captain　Osborn；　but　you　never　know　what　the　day　may　bring　forth。　You　sailed　with　this　vessel；　full　of　hope　…　you　now；　not　without　reason；　feel　something　approaching　to　despair；　but　who　knows？　it　may　please　the　Almighty　to　rebuke　those　angry　winds　and　waves；　and　to…morrow　we　may　again　hope　for　the　best；　at　all　events　you　have　done　your　duty　…　no　man　can　do　more。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　replied　Captain　Osborn；　〃but　hold　hard；　Ready；　that　sea's　aboard　of　us。〃

Ready　had　just　time　to　cling　with　both　hands　to　the　belaying…pins　when　the　sea　poured　over　the　vessel；　with　a　volume　of　water　which　for　some　time　swept　them　off　their　legs：　they　clung　on　firmly；　and　at　last　recovered　their　feet。

〃She　started　a　timber　or　two　with　that　blow；　I　rather　think；〃　said　Ready。

〃I'm　afraid　so；　the　best　vessel　ever　built　could　not　stand　such　shocks　long；〃　replied　Captain　Osborn；　〃and　at　present；　with　our　weak　crew；　I　do　not　see　that　we　can　get　more　sail　upon　her。〃

All　that　night　the　ship　flew　in　darkness　before　the　gale。　At　daybreak　the　wind　abated；　and　the　sea　went　down：　the　ship　was；　however；　still　kept　before　the　wind；　for　she　had　suffered　too　much　to　venture　to　put　her　broadside　to　the　sea。　Preparations　were　now　made　for　getting　up　jury…masts；　and　the　worn…out　seamen　were　busily　employed；　under　the　direction　of　Captain　Osborn　and　his　two　mates；　when　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　came　upon　deck。

William　stared　about　him：　he　perceived；　to　his　astonishment；　that　the　tall　masts；　with　all　their　rigging　and　sails；　had　disappeared；　and　that　the　whole　deck　was　in　a　state　of　confusion　and　disorder。

〃See；　my　child；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃the　wreck　and　devastation　which　are　here。　See　how　the　pride　of　man　is　humbled　before　the　elements　of　the　great　Jehovah。〃

〃Ay；　Master　Willy；〃　said　old　Ready；　〃look　around　you；　as　you　well　may。　Do　you　remember　the　verses　in　the　Bible？　…　if　not；　I　remember　them　well；　for　I　have　often　read　them；　and　have　often　felt　the　truth　of　them：　'They　that　go　down　to　the　sea　in　ships；　that　do　business　in　great　waters；　these　see　the　works　of　the　Lord；　and　his　wonders　in　the　deep'。〃

〃But；　father；〃　said　Willy；　after　a　pause；　〃how　shall　we　ever　get　to　Sydney　without　masts　or　sails？〃

〃Why；　William；〃　replied　Ready；　〃we　must　do　what　we　can：　we　sailors　are　never　much　at　a　loss；　and　I　dare　say　before　night　you　will　find　us　under　some　sort　of　sail　again。　We　have　lost　our　great　masts；　so　we　must　put　up　jury…masts；　as　we　call　them；　that　is；　little　ones；　and　little　sails　upon　them；　and；　if　it　pleases　God；　we　shall　see　Sydney　yet。　How　is　Madam；　sir？〃　continued　Ready　to　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃Is　she　better？〃

〃I　fear　she　is　very　weak　and　ill；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃nothing　but　fine　weather　will　do　her　any　good。　Do　you　think　that　it　will　be　fine　now？〃

〃Why；　sir；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　fear　we　shall　have　more　of　it　yet：　I　have　not　given　my　thoughts　to　the　captain；　as　I　might　be　mistaken；　but　still　I　think　so　…　I've　not　been　fifty　years　at　sea　without　learning　something。　I　don't　like　the　gathering　of　that　bank　there；　Mr。　Seagrave；　and　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　it　were　to　blow　again　from　the　very　same　quarter；　and　that　before　dark。〃

〃God's　will　be　done；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃but　I　am　very　fearful　about　my　poor　wife；　who　is　worn　to　a　shadow。〃

〃I　shouldn't　think　so　much　about　that；　sir；　as　I　really　never　knew　of　people　dying　that　way；　although　they　suffer　much。　William；　do　you　know　that　we　have　lost　some　of　our　men　since　you　were　down　below？〃

〃No　…　I　heard　the　steward　say　something　outside　about　the　foremast。〃

〃We　have　lost　five　of　our　smartest　and　best　men　…　Wilson　was　washed　overboard；　Fennings　and　Masters　struck　dead　with　the　lightning；　and　Jones　and　Emery　crushed　by　the　fall　of　the　foremast。　You　are　young；　Master　Willy；　but　you　cannot　think　too　early　of　your　Maker；　or　call　to　mind　what　they　say　in　the　burial　service；　…　'In　the　midst　of　life　we　are　in　death'。〃

〃Thank　you；　Ready；　for　the　lesson　you　have　given　my　son；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃and；　William；　treasure　it　up　in　your　memory。〃

〃Yes；　William；　they　are　the　words　of　an　old　man　who　has　seen　many　and　many　a　one　who　was　full　of　youth　and　spirits　called　away　before　him；　and　who　is　grateful　to　God　that　he　has　been　pleased　to　preserve　his　life；　and　allow　him　to　amend　his　ways。〃

〃I　have　been　thinking；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　after　a　silence　of　a　minute　or　two；　〃that　a　sailor　has　no　right　to　marry。〃

〃I've　always　thought　so；　sir；〃　replied　Ready；　〃and　I　dare　say　many　a　poor　deserted　sailor's　wife；　when　she　has　listened　to　the　wind　and　rain　in　her　lonely　bed；　has　thought　the　same。〃

〃With　my　permission；〃　continued　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃my　boys　shall　never　g