Part 12 (2/2)
Boatched with anxiety to see how the brig bore the additional canvas A few ht even carry more without much risk If any difference was perceptible, it was that the crests of the seas she met broke in thicker showers of spray over her bows; but she did not seem to heel over to it more than before
The crew, called on deck to er in their wake, the reason of it, and fleith alacrity to their duty They were all ready to fight, if necessary; they would rather have been chasing a vessel which they ht hope to make their prize; but they were in no way indifferent to the exciteh they lorious business of running away
”Bless the little beauty, she goes along nicely through it, don't she, old shi+p,” said Jem Marlin to his chum ”Them outlandish mounseers astern there will be clever if they comes up to us”
All hands reain
Bowse, every now and then, gave a scrutinising glance astern at the stranger; but it was impossible to determine whether there was any difference in their relative distance
The two brigs were now under the saer had not shaken out a second reef in the topsails, when the _Zodiac_ shook out the first
The crew stood at their station ready to obey the next order
”She'll bear the fore-sail on her, Mr Timmins, if we close reef it,”
said Bowse; ”send some hands up and loose it, and hook on reef-burtons ready for reefing”
As soon as the sail was let fall it flew out in thundering claps, as if it would fly away fro it away or springing it, but steady hands were there, and the clew garnets being eased down, the reef-burtons hauled out, the ear-rings were soon secured, and the points tied; the lee clew garnet was then eased off, and the sheet steadied aft The tack was roused down, another pull had of the sheet, and the bowline hauled taut, the weather-lift and brace being hauled taut, the sail stood like a board
With this sail she carried too much lee helm, and it was difficult work for the helmsman to lift her, so as to let her rise over the seas, which now ca up her bows, and threatening to curl bodily over her bulwarks
”Now, my lads, aft here, and shake a reef out of the fore-and-aftaft, the points were soon cast off, and the reef-pendant eased off The throat and peak halyards were htly eased off, and the sail, thus enlarged, was hoisted to the mast The instant effect was to reat care was now required to prevent her flying up into the wind, and being taken aback; a most perilous position to be placed in under the present circumstances
To prevent this, the fore-stay-sail was hoisted As the master watched the effect of all the canvas he had packed on the brig, he saw clearly that she would not bear another stitch; indeed, she had already very much more set than under any but the most extraordinary circumstances he would have ventured to carry He, however, felt that he could do er He knew that every timber and plank in her was sound, every spar had been well proved, and the canvas was all new, and every inch of rigging about her he or his mate had seen fitted and turned in He knew, indeed, that all was good, and it was this feeling, with a right confidence in his own knowledge and judg occasion
Onward the brig tore through the foa waves, her lee-scuppers coht a-head, seely about to overwhelm her, but buoyantly her boould rise to it, the foa over her; then another would co to surh it, while her decks were deluged as a punish on deck had been properly secured, and such trifling articles as were not, were soon washed into the lee-scuppers or overboard The crew, driven froether close to the break of the poop, under shelter of the weather-bulwark, while Bowse and the first mate stood at their old post
”It's as ht it was a great deal too much, but did not like to say so
Bowse looked at the stranger before answering
”I only hope she will try to carry a great dealto follow our exa had now not only set her foresail and mainsail, but had also shaken another reef out of her topsails She thus already had more sail on her than the _Zodiac_
”Now, then,” said Bowse, ”if we do but hold our own, she will begin to think we shall escape her, and they will be shaking another of those reefs out”
”If they do, they will just get the drop in the pitcher too much,” said the mate
”That's just what I wish they may do,” replied the master ”But, ah!
hold on for your lives,wave appeared directly ahead of the vessel, as if it had risen suddenly out of the water She rose at it like a bold hunter, without hesitation, atteh fence beyond his powers