'A mutiny is a terrible thing at sea,' said she; 'and what would men like the crew of this ship stop at?'
'Ay, nothing more terrible, Helga. But are we to be carried to the Cape?'
'The Captain has no intention of putting into Santa Cruz,' said she.
'That we may be sure of. But does the fellow intend that you shall pass week after week with no other apparel than what you stand up in?'
I was interrupted by Abraham sending a hurricane shout into the blackness forward for some hands to clew up the fore and main royals, and for others to lay aft and haul down the gaff-topsail.
'It's agoing to blow to-night, Mr. Tregarthen,' he called across to me.
'Yes; and you may see where it is coming from, too,' I replied, not knowing till then that he had observed us.
In a few moments the silence that had hung upon the vessel, with nothing to disturb it but an occasional sob of water and the beating of canvas hollowing into the mast to the roll of the fabric, was broken by the strange howling noises raised by the coloured seamen as they hauled upon the gear.
'Get them sails furled, my lads!' bawled Abraham; 'and the rest of ye lay aft and take this 'ere mizzen off her.'
'It is wonderful that the fellows should understand the man,' said I.