The captain then put a pair of handcuffs on the man's wrists, though he was as quiet as possible, and he was left to meditate on the privileges of sailing under that symbol of freedom and justice, the American flag. CHAPTER IX. THE "DUBLIN"--CONCLUDED. When eight days out from Cronstadt the ship was in the North Sea about forty miles S. W. of the Naze of Norway. The weather was rainy and the sky dark and threatening. The wind gradually increased to a gale from the westward, and in a few hours the ship was hove to under the close-reefed main-topsail, laboring heavily in the ugly confused sea. Careful attention to the pumps showed that the ship was leaking more than usual, keeping the pumps constantly going. The sand washed to the well-room and choked the pumps, which had not force enough to throw it out. It was blowing a living gale, the ship was leaking badly and the pumps were useless, the alternative that was presented was to founder at sea, or run for some port. Accordingly, in the afternoon, the captain ordered the yards to be squared, and the ship scudded before wind and sea towards the Cattegat. Getting one pump clear, the crew, by constant work, kept the water from gaining rapidly; but a new danger was now before us. The captain had not seen the sun for twenty-four hours and was not very confident as to the ship's position; she was running towards the land, and an error of a few miles in the reckoning might result in the loss of all on board before the next day-break. The Coast of Denmark is very low and cannot be seen far at sea even in clear weather, and though Captain Streeter hoped to fetch to the northward of it, still he felt very much concerned, as the distance would probably be run before day-light. I shall never forget my feelings as I stood by the wheel that night, in the middle watch, while the ship scudded before the howling tempest in the pitchy darkness, perhaps towards sudden and certain destruction.