Bad Weather.

When the second mate reached the deck the wind had freshened still
more. In the southwest a low lying bank of slate colored cloud was
slowly diffusing itself over that quarter of the heavens.

Under its lower edge, was a coppery hued, wind streaked border, that
glistened in a dull way.

"The barometer is falling," remarked Rucker as he prepared to go below.
"We're going to have a nasty spell, I guess. You might take a double
reef in that jib if it gets worse. If there's any shortnin' of sail
beyond that, call the captain."

In his walk to and fro the second mate's thoughts reverted to Ralph
occasionally and he took pains later on, to ask Neb if the boy had had
anything to eat.

"Nuttin' but braid an' water, suh. Capn's orders."

"It's a shame," thought Duff. "The lad's sick, so I don't reckon he's
hungry; but he ought to have something more strengthening than that. I
wonder what kind of a hole this sweat box is?"

But as the weather grew worse, Mr. Duff's attention was necessarily
given entirely to the management of the vessel when on watch, and
during his hours off, he usually slept away his fatigue.

The storm that gradually rose lasted, with varying fury, for three