Taking a quantity of gilt paper, kept on board for the purpose, they cut it into the shape of copper tchen, the only coin in the empire, and threw them into the sea as a bribe to the goddess Ma-tsoo-po; but finding that the marine lady's favor was not to be bought so cheaply, the whole crew began to busy themselves in building a paper ship, which, by the way, was so ingeniously constructed that it formed an exact model of their own junk, being complete with masts, ropes, sails, flags, compass, rudder, a crew, victuals, and even a book of accounts. When this redoubtable vessel was finished they let it into the sea with great ceremony, and amidst the deafening clatter of drums and instruments, and their own shoutings to the goddess, to wreak her vengeance upon the toy instead of her adorers' ship. Nevertheless the hard-hearted goddess was not to be caught with tinsel, for the storm raged with such terrible violence that the frail bark would speedily have been dashed to atoms but for Nicholas, who, after persuading a few of the least obstinate of the men to help him, set to work and managed to keep her head so straight that they passed through the channel without touching the rocks by which it was bounded on either side. So fearful was the hurricane of circular winds that the shivering crew could see trees torn up by the roots as easily as corks out of bottles by corkscrews. At length, however, the storm subsided, and the sailors believing that nothing less than a deity could have enabled their vessel to live in such a storm, fell upon their knees before Nicholas and thanked him for quelling the fury of the elements. "Let my brothers toss their stupid idol into the sea, and offer up thanks to the One true God of heaven, who alone has saved them," said the boy. Enraged at this insult to their god, the sailors gave full vent to their disapprobation, and would have tossed the bold youth into the sea but for a sudden cry from the look-out man. "The wasps of the ocean! the wasps of the ocean are upon us!" At this cry the crew took alarm, and ran to different parts of the vessel, and armed themselves with pikes, swords, or any weapon upon which they could place their hands. Taking the glass from the trembling hands of the look-out man, Nicholas endeavored to make out the cause of the alarm. It was a large floating object at a great distance, and bore some resemblance to a ship, still, notwithstanding the track it left behind in the water, he was doubtful; but before he could make up his mind the captain snatched the glass from his hands, glanced through it, declared his opinion that it was a wasp of the ocean, or pirate, and ordered his vessel to be put back, with the hope of outrunning her. Then the first officer took the glass, and after gazing for some time, said, "Truly, my brothers, this is no ship, but a frightful demon that the insulted Ma-tsoo-po has sent from the bottom of the sea to devour us for carrying this impious youth."