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p。
Dodd battened down the hatches and stopped that game。
Then came a danger no skill could avert： the ship lurched so violently now； as not merely to clip； but bury； her lower deck port…pendents： and so a good deal of water found ingress through the windage。 Then Dodd set a gang to the pumps： for； he said； 〃We can hardly hope to weather this out without shipping a sea： and I won't have water coming in upon water。〃
And now the wind； raging and roaring like discharges of artillery； and not like wind as known in our seas； seemed to have put out all the lights of heaven。 The sky was inky black； and quite close to their heads： and the wind still increasing； the vessel came down to her extreme bearings； and it was plain she would soon be on her beam ends。 Sharpe and Dodd met； and holding on by the life…lines； applied their speaking trumpets tight to each other's ears； and even then they had to bawl。
〃She can't carry a rag much longer。〃
〃No； sir； not half an hour。〃
〃Can we furl that main taupsle？〃
Sharpe shook his head。 〃The first moment we start a sheet； the sail will whip the mast out of her。〃
〃You are right Well； then； I'll cut it away。〃
〃Volunteers； sir？〃
〃Ay； twelve： no more。 Send them to my cabin。〃
Sharpe's difficulty was to keep the men back； so eager were the fine fellows to risk their lives。 However； he brought twelve to the cabin； headed by Mr。 Grey； who had a right； as captain of the watch； to go with them； on which right he insisted； in spite of Dodd's earnest request that he would forego it。 When Dodd saw his resolution； he dropped the friend and resumed the captain； and spoke to them through a trumpet； the first time he had ever used one in a cabin； or seen one used。
〃Mr。 Grey and men； going aloft to save the mainmast by cutting the sail away。〃
〃Ay； ay； sir！〃
〃Service of danger； great danger！〃
〃Hurrah！〃
〃But great dangers can be made smaller by working the right way。 Attend！ Lay out all on the yard； and take your time from one man at the lee yard…arm： don't know who that will be； but one of the smartest men in the ship。 Order to _him_ is： hold his knife hand well up； rest to see！ and then in knives altogether： mind and cut from you； and below the reef band； and then I hope to see all come down alive。〃
Mr。 Grey and his twelve men left the cabin： and hey！ for the main top。 The men let the officer lead them as far as Jacob's ladder； and then hurrah for the lee yard…arm！ That was where all wanted to be； and but one could be。 Grey was as anxious as the rest； but officers of his rank seldom go aloft； and soon fall out of their catlike habits。 He had done about six ratlines； when； instead of going hand over head； he spread his arms to seize a shroud on each side of him： by this he weakened his leverage； and the wind just then came fiercer； caught him； and flattened him against the rigging as tight as if Nature had caught up a mountain for a hammer and nailed him with a cedar； he was spread…eagled。 The men accepted him at once as a new patent ratline with a fine resisting power： they went up him； and bounded three ordinary ratlines at a go off all his promontories； especially his shoulders and his head； receiving his compliments in the shape of hearty curses。 They gained the top and lay out on the yard with their hair flying like streamers： and who got the place of honour but Thompson； the jolly fore…topman who couldn't stand smoked pea…soup。 So strong and so weak are men。
Thompson raised his knife high； there was a pause： then in went all their knives； and away went the sail into the night of the storm； and soon seemed a sheet of writing…paper； and more likely to hit the sky than the sea。 The men came down； picked their officer off the rigging； had a dram in the captain's cabin； and saw him enter their names in the log…book for good service； and in the purser's for extra grog on Sundays from there to Gravesend。
The ship was relieved； and all looked well till the chronometer； their only guide now； announced sunset： when the wind； incredible as it may appear； increased； and one frightful squall dipped the muzzles of the lee carronades in the water。
Then was heard the first cry of distress： an appalling sound； the wail of brave men。 And they had borne it all so bravely； so cheerfully； till now。 But now they knew something must go； or else the ship； the suspense was awful； but very short。 Crack！ crash！ the fore and main topmast both gone short off by the caps； and the ship recovered slowly； hesitatingly； tremblingly。
Relieving her from one danger； this subjected her to another and a terrible one。 The heavy spars that had fallen； unable to break loose from the rigging； pounded the ship so savagely as to threaten to stave in her side。 Add to this that； with labouring so long and severely； some of the ship's seams began now to open and shut and discharge the oakum； which is terrible to the bravest seamen。 Yet neither this stout captain nor his crew shirked any danger men had ever grappled with since men were。 Dodd ordered them to cut away the wreck to leeward； it was done： then to windward； this； the more ticklish operation； was also done smartly： the wreck passed under the ship's quarter； and she drifted clear of it They breathed again。
At eight bells in the first watch it began to thunder and lighten furiously； but the thunder； though close； was quite inaudible in the tremendous uproar of the wind and sea。 It blew a hurricane： there were no more squalls now； but one continuous tornado； which in its passage through that great gaunt skeleton； the ship's rigging and bare poles； howled and yelled and roared so terrifically； as would have silenced a salvo of artillery fired alongside。 The overwhelming sea ran in dark watery mountains crested with devilish fire。 The inky blackness added supernatural horror； the wrath of the Almighty seemed upon them； and His hand to drop the black sky down on them for their funeral pall。 Surely Noah from his ark saw nothing more terrible。
What is that？ Close on the lee bow： chose： the flash of a gun； another； another； another。 A ship in distress firing minute…guns in their ears； yet no sound： human thunder silenced； as God's thunder was silenced； by the uproar of His greater creatures in their mad rage。 The _Agra_ fired two minute…guns to let the other poor ship know she had a companion in her helplessness and her distress； and probably a companion in her fate。 Even this companionship added its mite of danger： for both ships were mere playthings of the elements； they might be tossed together； and then； what would be their fate？ Two eggs clashed together in a great boiling caldron； and all the life spilt out。
Yet did each flash shoot a ray of humanity and sympathy into the thick black supernatural horror。
And now came calamity upon calamity。 A tremendous sea broke the tiller at the rudder…head； and not only was the ship in danger of falling off and shipping the sea； but the rudder hammered her awfully； and bade fair to stave in her counter； which is another word for Destruction。 Thus death came at them with two hands open at once。
These vessels always carry a spare tiller： they tried to ship it； but the difficulty was prodigious。 No light but the miserable deck…lanternone glowworm in Egypt supernaturally darkenedthe _Agra_ never on an even keel； and heeling over like a seesaw more than a ship； and then every time they did place the tiller； and get the strain on with their luff tackles； the awful sea gave it a blow and knocked it away like a hair。
At last they hit it off； or thought they had； for the ponderous thumps of the rudder ceased entirely。 However； the ship did not obey this new tiller like the old one： her head fell off in an unlucky moment when seven waves were rolling in one； and； on coming to the windward again； she shipped a sea。 It came in over her bow transversely； broke as high as the mainstay； and hid and buried the whole ship before the mast； carried away the waist bulwarks on both sides； filled the launch； and drowned the live stock which were in it； swept four water…butts and three men away into the sea； like corks and straws； and sent tons of water down the forescuttle and main hatchway； which was partly opened； not to stifle the crew； and flooded the gun…deck ankle…deep。
Dodd； who was in his cabin； sent the whole crew to the pumps； except the men at the wheel； and prepared for the worst。
In men so brave as he was； when Hope dies Fear dies。 His chief care now was to separate the fate of those he loved from his own。 He took a bottle； inserted the fatal money in it with a few words of love to his wife； and of direction to any stranger that should fall in with it； secured the cork with melted sealing…wax； tied oilskin over it and melted wax on that； applied a preparation to the glass to close the pores； and to protect it against other accidents； and attract attention； fastened a black painted bladder to it by a stout tarred twine； and painted _〃Agra_； lost at sea；〃 in white on the bladder。 He had logged each main incident of the storm with that curt business…like accuracy which reads so cold and small a record of these great and terrible tragedies。 He now made a final entry a little more in character with the situa