Paul did not wait to hear any more, but hastened on deck. His quick eye discovered the peril of the moment. The squall was indeed upon them. At the peak of the Young America hung the signal which had been hoisted; but it was not necessary to look in the book for its meaning.
"Mr. Terrill, call all hands—quick!" said Captain Kendall, in sharp tones.
"All hands on deck, ahoy!" roared the boatswain's mate, as he piped his shrill whistle at the main hatch.
The students flew from their seats at the mess table, deserting the two professors without an apology. With only two exceptions, the officers and crew of the Josephine were all old sailors. Most of them had been on board the ship for two years, and a sudden squall was no new thing to them. They leaped into their stations, and when the orders were given they knew exactly what to do.
"Stand by sheets and halyards!" shouted the first lieutenant. "Man the jib, and flying jib halyards, and downhauls!"
"All ready forward, sir," reported the second lieutenant, whose place was on the forecastle.
"Man the topgallant clewlines and buntlines!" continued Terrill.
"All ready, sir!"
"Ease off the sheets! Settle away the halyards! Clew up! Lay aloft, and furl topgallant-sail!"
The topgallant men sprang up the rigging like so many cats, for all hands had been thoroughly waked up by the impending peril.