The sail was quickly muzzled and close-reefed, and Loyola cautiously brought the wind on to the quarter, feeling its strength with practised hand.
But it was more than the brave boat could stand, and a sea washed over the rail which nearly filled her.
"Down that sail!" yelled Jack, whilst he and Jim baled with furious energy. "Down that sail!"
After the first tremendous downpour the rain fell steadily, but with less weight. Meanwhile both wind and sea commenced to rise, and though the whaleboat rode the big rollers splendidly, many of the smaller waves slopped aboard and kept the balers hard at work.
With the sail off her, Loyola swung the boat's head up into the wind, and held her with the steering-oar from falling off.
"Lemme relieve you, ma'm," called the man-of-war's man, clambering aft.
"I'm all right," answered the plucky woman. "Give the balers a spell."
"What's the glass say?" jerked out the blind man, panting with his exertions.
"Phew! but it's low, an' dropping too," replied Bill, squinting into the face of a small aneroid which they had saved from the Ocmulgee.