41 T II E C R A T E R ; "1 own it, sir ; I own how wrong I was, and have been sorry for it ever since. But it s going right in the wind s eye, Mr. Woolston, to go ag in captain and dickey !" " But, you now think you have heard breakers where away?" " Astarn first; then ahead; and, just as you called me up on the poop, sir, I fancied they sounded off here, on the weather bow." " Are you serious, Bob?" " As I ever was in my life, Mr. Mark. This oversight of the arternoon has made me somewhat conscientious, if I can be conscientious, and my sight arid hearing are now both wide awake. It s my opinion, sir, that the ship is in the midst of breakers at this instant, and that we may g on em at any moment !" " The devil it is !" exclaimed Captain Crutchely, who now appeared on the poop, and who caught the last part of Bob Betts s speech. " Well, for my part, I hear nothing out of the way, and I will swear the keenest-sighted man on earth can see nothing." These words were scarcely out of the captain s mouth, and had been backed by a senseless, mocking laugh from Hillson, who was still muzzy, and quite as much asleep as awake, when the deep and near roar of breakers was most unequivocally heard. It came from to windward, too, and abeam ! This was proof that the ship was actually among the breakers when Mark hauled up, and that she was now passing a danger to leeward, that she must have previously gone by, in running down on her course. The captain, without waiting to consult with his cool and clear-headed young mate, now shouted for all hands to be called, and to " stand by to ware ship." These orders came out so fast, and in so peremptory a manner, that remonstrance was out of the question, and Mark set himself at work to obey them, in good earnest. He would have tacked in preference to waring, and it would have been much wiser to do so ; but it was clearly expedient to get the ship on the other tack, and he lent all his present exertions to the attainment of that object. Waring is much easier done than tacking, certainly ; when it does not blow too fresh, and there is not a dangerous sea on, no nautical manoeuvre
