I ought to have done so." "Well, sir, it's hard to illustrate and stick to truth.

There is the boatswain's whistle! I must go and see what's up.

Pentland Firth is ever restless and nobody minds that, but she gets into sudden passions which need close watching, and I wouldn't wonder if there was not now signs of a Pentland tantrum." The Captain's supposition was correct.

In a few minutes the ship was enveloped in a livid creeping mist, and he heard the Captain shout, "_All hands stand by to reef!_" Reef they did, but Pentland's temper was rapidly rising, and in a few minutes there was an impetuous shout for the storm jib, "_Quick_," and down came a blast from the north, and with a rip and a roar the yacht leaped her full length.

If her canvas had been spread, she would have gone to the bottom; but under bare masts she came quickly and beautifully to her bearings, shook herself like a gull, and sped southward.
All night they were beating about in a fierce wind and heavy sea; and Hatton, lying awake, listened to the mysterious hungering voice of the waves, till he was strangely sad and lonely.