The Captain left Gray and went immediately to the room where the helmsman was chained.  The thrashing of the vessel, and the noise of the waves dashing over its decks told that a frightful storm was raging, and of the dangers of the coral reefs he knew only too well.  Consequently he said when the Captain came in, “It is no time now to talk of grievances and discipline, you need my help.  I give you my word that when the ship is saved, if saved it can be, I will put on my chains again.”

“I hope it will not be necessary.  You will see that there is some misunderstanding.—­What was that awful crash?  Death is upon us,” cried the Captain, interrupting himself.

“One of the masts has broken and gone over board!” cried Green.  “Come quickly or we’ll go to the bottom.  Bring the two boys into the cabin and let them pray.  If God will not spare these two innocent children there is no hope for the rest of us.  We can only repent and prepare for the end.”

A moment later Green was on deck.  The mizzen-mast had broken off, but still hung to the side of the vessel with all its tackling.

“Cut the ropes and clear the ship; then try one of the jib-sails, otherwise there will be no such thing as steering,” he said.

The sailors obeyed quickly.  They were approaching nearer and nearer to the reefs, over which the breakers washed with a thundering noise.

“If only the jib-sail will stand the pressure on it, perhaps we can avoid the reefs.  I reckon they are not a half mile away; the ship yields a little,” said Green.

The Captain again came on board, but avoided the helmsman.  To Gray he said, “Put out the flying-jib so as to be prepared in case the jib does not hold, and get ready to cast the anchor.”  The sailors took their places at the capstan and made ready to lower the anchor.  Meantime the night had settled down quickly, for in the tropics night follows the going down of the sun without any twilight.  There was a rainbow but thick banks of clouds driven along by the storm hid it.  The darkness was so intense that you could not see the top of the mast, and even on the deck it was impossible to distinguish objects only a step or two away.  Now and again a flash of lightning showed the foaming breakers washing over the reefs and the dark outlines of the island beyond them.  Anxiously every eye was turned towards the point of danger.

“We’re not two knots away from those accursed islands,” said Gray.

“The storm is rising.  The sails will be in shreds in a moment.  Such waves I have never seen before,” answered Gray.

The ship danced like a nutshell on the raging waters.  The bowsprit raised itself high in the air, while the stern was buried in the trough of the sea.  All clung to the ropes or whatever object presented itself expecting to be washed overboard, as the boat shook and creaked in its agony.