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〃Lord； sir！ I don't think it would much matter if it
did； it is that turned already with the sight of these
blackamoors and their filthy； thieving ways。 They are
only fit for muck； they are； and they smell bad enough
for it already。〃
Job； it will be perceived； was no admirer of the
manners and customs of our dark…skinned brothers。
Accordingly we hauled up the boat by the tow…rope till
it was right under the stern of the dhow； and Job
bundled into her with all the grace of a falling sack
of potatoes。 Then we returned and sat down on the deck
again； and smoked and talked in little gusts and
jerks。 The night was so lovely； and our brains were so
full of suppressed excitement of one sort and another；
that we did not feel inclined to turn in。 For nearly
an hour we sat thus； and then； I think； we both dozed
off。 At least I have a faint recollection of Leo
sleepily explaining that the head was not a bad place
to hit a buffalo； if you could catch him exactly
between the horns； or send your bullet down his
throat； or some nonsense of the sort。
Then I remember no more； till suddenlya frightful
roar of wind； a shriek of terror from the awakening
crew； and a whip like sting of water in our faces。
Some of the men ran to let go the halyards and lower
the sail； but the parral jammed and the yard would not
come down。 I sprang to my feet and hung on to a rope。
The sky aft was dark as pitch； but the moon still
shone brightly ahead of us and lit up the blackness。
Beneath its sheen a huge white…topped breaker； twenty
feet high or more； was rushing on to us。 It was on the
breakthe moon shone on its crest and tipped its foam
with light。 On it rushed beneath the inky sky； driven
by the awful squall behind it。 Suddenly； in the
twinkling of an eye； I saw the black shape of the
whale…boat cast high into the air on the crest of the
breaking wave。 Thena shock of water； a wild rush of
boiling foam； and I was clinging for my life to the
shroud； aye； swept straight out from it like a flag in
a gale。
We were pooped。
The wave passed。 It seemed to me that I was under
water for minutesreally it was seconds。 I looked
forward。 The blast had torn out the great sail； and
high in the air it was fluttering away to leeward like
a huge wounded bird。 Then for a moment there was
comparative calm； and in it I heard Job's voice
yelling wildly； 〃Come here to the boat。〃
Bewildered and half drowned as I was； I had the sense
to rush aft。 I felt the dhow sinking under me she was
full of water。 Under her counter the whale…boat was
tossing furiously； and I saw the Arab Mahomed； who had
been steering； leap into her。 I gave one desperate
pull at the towrope to bring the boat alongside。
Wildly I sprang also； and Job caught me by one arm and
I rolled into the bottom of the boat。 Down went the
dhow bodily； and as she did so Mahomed drew his curved
knife and severed the fibre…rope by which we were fast
to her； and in another second we were driving before
the storm over the place where the dhow had been。
〃Great God！〃 I shrieked； 〃where is Leo？ Leo！ Leo！〃
〃He's gone； sir； God help him！〃 roared Job into my
ear； and such was the fury of the squall that his
voice sounded like a whisper。
I wrung my hands in agony。 Leo was drowned； and I was
left alive to mourn him。
〃Look out；〃 yelled Job； 〃here comes another。〃
I turned； a second huge wave was overtaking us。 I half
hoped that it would drown me。 With a curious
fascination I watched its awful advent。 The moon was
nearly hidden now by the wreaths of the rushing storm；
but a little light still caught the crest of the
devouring breaker。 There was something dark on ita
piece of wreckage。 It was on us now； and the boat was
nearly full of water。 But she was built in air…tight
compartmentsHeaven bless the man who invented them！
and lifted up through it like a swan。 Through the foam
and turmoil I saw the black thing on the wave hurrying
right at me。 I put out my right arm to ward it from
me； and my hand closed on another arm； the wrist of
which my fingers gripped like a vise。 l am a very
strong man； and had something to hold to； but my arm
was nearly torn from its socket by the strain and
weight of the floating body。 Had the rush lasted
another two seconds I must either have let go or gone
with it。 But it passed； leaving us up to our knees in
water。
〃Bail out！ bail out！〃 shouted Job； suiting the action
to the word。
But I could not bail just then； for as the moon went
out and left us in total darkness； one faint； flying
ray of light lit upon the face of the man I had
gripped； who was now half lying； half floating in the
bottom of the boat。
It was Leo。 Leo brought back by the waveback； dead
or alive； from the very jaws of Death。
〃Bail out！ bail out！〃 yelled Job； 〃or we shall
founder。〃
I seized a large tin bowl with a handle to it； which
was fixed under one of the seats； and the three of us
bailed away for dear life。 The furious tempest drove
over and round us； flinging the boat this way and
that； the wind and the storm wreaths and the sheets of
stinging spray blinded and bewildered us； but through
it all we worked like demons with the wild
exhilaration of despair； for even despair can
exhilarate。 One minute！ three minutes！ six minutes！
The boat began to lighten； and no fresh wave swamped
us。 Five minutes more； and she was fairly clear。 Then；
suddenly； above the awful shriekings of the hurricane
came a duller； deeper roar。 Great heavens！ It was the
voice of breakers！
At that moment the moon began to shine forth again
this time behind the path of the squall。 Out far
across the torn bosom of the ocean shot the ragged
arrows of her light； and there； half a mile ahead of
us； was a white line of foam； then a little space of
openmouthed blackness； and then another line of white。
It was the breakers； and their roar grew clearer and
yet more clear as we sped down upon them like a
swallow。 There they were； boiling up in snowy spouts
of spray； smiting and gnashing together like the
gleaming teeth of hell。
〃Take the tiller； Mahomed！〃 I roared in Arabic。 〃We
must try and shoot them。〃 At the same moment I seized
an oar； and got it out； motioning to Job to do
likewise。
Mahomed clambered aft； and got hold of the tiller； and
with some difficulty Job； who had sometimes pulled a
tub upon the homely Cam； got out his oar。 In another
minute the boat's head was straight on to the ever…
nearing foam； towards which she plunged and tore with
the speed of a racehorse。 Just in front of us the
first line of breakers seemed a little thinner than to
the right or leftthere was a gap of rather deeper
water。 I turned and pointed to it。
〃Steer for your life； Mahomed！〃 I yelled。 He was a
skilful steersman； and well acquainted with the
dangers of this most perilous coast； and I saw him
grip the tiller and bend his heavy frame forward； and
stare at the foaming terror till his big round eyes
looked as though they would start out of his head。 The
send of the sea was driving the boat's head round to