“Humph—humph—why certainly it is not exactly upon us yet, whatever it is! and I and the ‘Charlotte’ have weathered a storm before to-day. Why, sir! I could tell you of a time, when we doubled Cape Horn——,” said the skipper, launching into a tale of a tempest that was presently interrupted—the tale—not the tempest—by the reappearance of the mate on deck, to report the lightning conductors rigged out. “As you said, my lord, there is time to make ready for what may be coming, thank heaven! This may be only a fresh wind that will carry us gallantly into port; therefore I shall not take in sail just yet; though it is best to be ready at short notice to do so. Mate!” “Ay, ay, sir!” “Call all hands on deck!” “Ay, ay, sir!” “Let them stand by to take in the royals and to’gallant stun’s’ils.” “Ay, ay, sir!” As the meridian passed, the sun took on a dark blood-like color, and the awful stillness of the elements seemed more foreboding. Slowly—slowly the Spirit of the Storm advanced and took shape. A black cloud, seemingly no larger than an eagle with spread wings, appeared on the Western horizon, directly under the sun. The wind awoke with a sigh, and breathed across the waters, curling the surface into little ripples, and moving the sails of the brig, and then died away. “In royals!” shouted the captain. The order was executed. The cloud climbed faster, higher, increasing in size and darkness. Again the wind arose and moaned across the waters, rolling the waves against the tide and fluttering the sails of the ship, and then died away as before. “Take in the to’gallant stu’n-s’ils! And you at the wheel, mind your helm!” thundered the captain. The cloud had nearly reached the zenith. Once more the wind sprung up, and roared across the now angry waters, driving the sea into high waves, and filling all the sails of the brig that now bounded before the blast. “Clew down the topsails; haul up the courses! Hard down!” shouted the captain. The storm came on apace, the whole sky was overcast and darkened. The wind lashed the sea into fury and drove the brig rocking and reeling forward, on her course. The passengers swarmed upon the deck, and crowded around the skipper. “Captain, captain, is there any danger?” asked one. “Captain, captain!” exclaimed several others, as the skipper, regardless of their interruptions, hurried about giving his orders. “Captain, captain!——” “For heaven’s sake, gentlemen, go below! You are in my way! You hinder me in the working of the ship! You risk your own lives as well as the safety of the vessel,” said the skipper, impatiently, hastening away. “But—for the Lord’s sake, what are you going to do?” asked the first speaker, laying hold of the captain’s coat-skirt to detain him. “We are trying to get into Hampton Roads: there we shall be safe. Once more, for heaven’s sake, gentlemen, be advised, and go below!” exclaimed the captain, breaking away.