And I pointed to a heavy cloud that was scurrying over.
“By George! I think you are right!” exclaimed the mill-hand. “That looks nasty, and no mistake!”
A moment later the wind died out utterly. We almost came to a standstill, and immediately dropped all sails. The Catch Me did the same, but not before she had been carried a goodly distance farther away.
“Here it comes!” I shouted, as a long, low line of white swept up from the south. “Hold fast, Dan!”
“I’m all right, Rube; look out for yourself.”
He had hardly spoken before the first brush of the squall was upon us. It caused the water to foam and dash on all sides, and the Mary bobbed up and down as if she was a cork.
Then came a heavy puff of wind that sent us driving onward, and made us ship fully half a dozen pails of water. I began to bail out; and seeing this, Ford set to helping me.
A moment later the sky was fairly black, and it began to rain, first lightly, but soon in a perfect torrent. We had but scant protection, and it did not take long for the water to get to our very skins, making us far from comfortable.
“Do you see anything of the Catch Me?” I shouted, so as to be heard above the roaring of the wind.
“No; the rain hides everything,” replied Ford. “Wonder how long this squall is going to last?”