Purvis at once ran below.
"The glass has fallen a long way since I looked at it at breakfast," he said, as he returned.
"Then we are in for a blow," the skipper said.

"I am new to these latitudes, but wherever you are you know what to do when there is a sudden lull in the wind, and a heavy fall in the glass.
"Now, lads, get her canvas off her." "All down, captain!" "Every stitch.
"Andrews, do you and two others get down into the sail locker and bring up the storm jib, the small foresail, trysail, and storm mizzen.

If it is a tornado, we shan't want to show much sail to it." "If we are going to have a tornado, captain, I should recommend that you get the mainsail loose from the hoops, put the cover on, roll it up tightly to the gaff and lash it to the bulwarks on one side, and get the boom off and lash it on the other side." "That will be a very good plan.

The lower we get the weight the better." When this was done, the topmast was also sent down and lashed by the sail.

The barrels, which were now all empty, were lowered down into the saloon, while the trysail was fastened to the hoops ready for hoisting, and all the reefs tied up.