Reuben had not gone aloft, as he was called back, just as he began to ascend the shrouds, by the first mate, and ordered to go round the cabins and fasten the dead lights securely. When this was done, he aided the marines in nailing tarpaulins over the cabin skylights, and then went round the deck, seeing that every movable article was securely lashed. When this was done he joined Bill who, with some others, had been at work securing all the hatches. The convicts had long since been all sent below.
"Shall I send my men down, captain?" Mr. Mason asked.
"There is no occasion for it, just at present; but you had better pass the word for all of them to hold on, when the gale strikes her. That will be the critical moment. Once past that, she will be all right till the sea begins to rise. Then you had best get them below, for we shall have the water sweeping knee deep along the waist, in no time.
"I should say send them down at once; but I know many of them have been to sea before, and may be useful in cutting away, if anything goes."
"She looks snug enough, captain," the young officer said, glancing up at the diminished spread of canvas.
"She is snug enough for any ordinary gale," the captain said; "but this is not going to be an ordinary gale. When we once get her before it, it will be all right.
"Do you think we have another five minutes, Mr. James?"
"There's no saying, sir; but I should think so. What do you want, sir?"
"I want that top sail off her, altogether."
"I will do it, sir," the mate said and, calling Bill Hardy and two others of the best sailors, he led the way up the main shrouds.