There being sea-room, I should, in strict prudence, have made all snug and gone down at once to my cabin.

I am a careful man at sea, but this night, in the coming storm, I swayed up my sails, which, reefed though they were, were still too much in such heavy weather; and I saw to it that the sheets were securely belayed.

In a word, I should have laid to, but did not.

I gave her the double-reefed mainsail and whole jib instead, and set her on her course.

Then I went below, and threw myself upon the cabin floor in great pain.