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s one point Instinct would not yield to Reason。 He could not keep his hands off a dusty white。 He would have died of the Miller of Dee。 But the worst was he did not stop at clothes； he loathed ill…blacked shoes。 Woe to all foot…leather that did not shine； his own skin furnished a perilous standard of comparison。 He was eternally blacking boots _en amateur。_ Fullalove got in a rage at this； and insisted on his letting his fellow…creatures' leather alone。 Vespasian pleaded hard； especially for leave to black Colonel Kenealy。 〃The cunnell；〃 said he pathetically； 〃is such a tarnation fine gentleman spoilt for want of a lilly bit of blacking。〃 Fullalove replied that the colonel had got a servant whose mission it was to black his shoes。 This simply amused Vespasian。 〃A servant？〃 said he。 〃Yah！ yah！ What is the use of white servants？ They are not biddable。 Massa Fullalove； sar； Goramighty he reared all white men to kick up a dust； white servants inspecially； and the darkies to brush 'em； and likewise additionally to make their boots she a lilly bit。〃 He concluded with a dark hint that the colonel's white servant's own shoes； though better blacked than his master's； were anything but mirrors； and that this child had his eye on them。
The black desperado emerged on tiptoe from Kenealy's cabin； just as Macbeth does from the murdered Duncan's chamber： only with a pair of boots in his hand instead of a pair of daggers； got into the moonlight； and finding himself uninterrupted； assumed the whistle of innocence； and polished them to the nine； chuckling audibly。
Fullalove watched him with an eye like a rattlesnake； but kept quiet。 He saw interference would only demoralise him worse： for it is more ignoble to black boots clandestinely； than bravely； men ditto。
He relieved his heart with idioms。 〃Darn the critter； he's fixed my flint eternally。 Now I cave。 I swan to man。 I may just hang up my fiddle； for this darkie's too hard a row to hoe。〃
It was but a momentary dejection。 The Mixture was _（inter alia）_ a Theorist and an Anglo…Saxon； two indomitables。 He concluded to temporise with the Brush； and breed it out。
〃I'm bound to cross the obsequious cuss with the catawamptiousest gal in Guinea； and one that never saw a blacking bottle； not even in a dream。〃 _Majora canamus。_
Being now about a hundred miles south of the Mauritius； in fine weather with a light breeze； Dodd's marine barometer began to fall steadily； and by the afternoon the declension had become so remarkable； that he felt uneasy； and； somewhat to the surprise of the crew；for there was now scarce a breath of air；furled his slight sails； treble reefed his topsails； had his top…gallant and royal yards and gaff topsail bent on deck； got his flying jib…boom in； &c。； and made the ship snug。
Kenealy asked him what was the matter？
〃Barometer going down； moon at the full； and Jonah aboard；〃 was the reply； uttered doggedly。
Kenealy assured him it was a beautiful evening； precursor of a fine day。 〃See how red the sunset is。
'Evening red and morning grey Are the sure signs of a fine day。'〃
Dodd looked； and shook his head。 The sun was red； but the wrong red： an angry red： and； as he dipped into the wave； discharged a lurid coppery hue that rushed in a moment like an embodied menace over the entire heavens。 The wind ceased altogether： and in the middle of an unnatural and suspicious calm the glass went down； down； down。
The moon rose； and instantly all eyes were bent on her with suspicion； for in this latitude the hurricanes generally come at the full moon。 She was tolerably clear； however； but a light scud sailing across her disc showed there was wind in the upper regions。
Dodd trusted to science； barred the lee…ports； and had the dead lights put into the stem cabin and secured： then turned in for an hour's sleep。
Science proved a prophet。 Just at seven bells； in one moment like a thunderbolt from the sky； a heavy squall struck the ship。 Under a less careful captain her lee…ports would have been open； and she might have gone to the bottom like a bullet
〃Let go the main sheet！〃 roared Sharpe hastily to a hand he had placed there on purpose。 He let go； and there was the sail flapping like thunder； and the sheet lashing everything in the most dangerous way。 Dodd was on deck in a moment 〃Helm hard up！ Hands shorten sail！〃
（Pipe。） 〃All hands furl sail； ahoy！〃
Up tumbled the crew； went cheerily to work； and by three bells in the middle watch had hauled up what was left of the shivered mainsail； and hove the ship to under close…reefed main topsail and storm stay…sails； and so the voyage was suspended。
A heavy sea got up under a scourging wind； that rose and rose； till the _Agra_； under the pressure of that single sail treble reefed； heeled over so as to dip her lee channels。 This went on till the waves rolled so high； and the squalls were so bitter； that sheets of water were actually torn off their crests and launched incessantly on deck； not only drenching Dodd and his officers； which they did not mind； but threatening to flood the ship。
Dodd battened down the hatches and stopped that game。
Then came a danger no skill could avert： the ship lurched so violently now； as not merely to clip； but bury； her lower deck port…pendents： and so a good deal of water found ingress through the windage。 Then Dodd set a gang to the pumps： for； he said； 〃We can hardly hope to weather this out without shipping a sea： and I won't have water coming in upon water。〃
And now the wind； raging and roaring like discharges of artillery； and not like wind as known in our seas； seemed to have put out all the lights of heaven。 The sky was inky black； and quite close to their heads： and the wind still increasing； the vessel came down to her extreme bearings； and it was plain she would soon be on her beam ends。 Sharpe and Dodd met； and holding on by the life…lines； applied their speaking trumpets tight to each other's ears； and even then they had to bawl。
〃She can't carry a rag much longer。〃
〃No； sir； not half an hour。〃
〃Can we furl that main taupsle？〃
Sharpe shook his head。 〃The first moment we start a sheet； the sail will whip the mast out of her。〃
〃You are right Well； then； I'll cut it away。〃
〃Volunteers； sir？〃
〃Ay； twelve： no more。 Send them to my cabin。〃
Sharpe's difficulty was to keep the men back； so eager were the fine fellows to risk their lives。 However； he brought twelve to the cabin； headed by Mr。 Grey； who had a right； as captain of the watch； to go with them； on which right he insisted； in spite of Dodd's earnest request that he would forego it。 When Dodd saw his resolution； he dropped the friend and resumed the captain； and spoke to them through a trumpet； the first time he had ever used one in a cabin； or seen one used。
〃Mr。 Grey and men； going aloft to save the mainmast by cutting the sail away。〃
〃Ay； ay； sir！〃
〃Service of danger； great danger！〃
〃Hurrah！〃
〃But great dangers can be made smaller by working the right way。 Attend！ Lay out all on the yard； and take your time from one man at the lee yard…arm： don't know who that will be； but one of the smartest men in the ship。 Order to _him_ is： hold his knife han