Part 15 (1/2)
This evening, as I felt all right and hearty after ood sleep in the afternoon, I reed, was not on duty, Mr Mackay, who had only stayed on the poop to see the topgallants taken in, having at once gone below on this operation being satisfactorily perforh; for, presently, Captain Gillespie, ignoring Mr Saunders the secondout in his voice of thunder, his nose no doubt shaking terribly the while, albeit I couldn't see it, the evening being too dark and lowering forproboscis of his:
”Hands reef topsails!”
The men, naturally, were even iven the order; so, they were at their posts before the captain could get at his next coo!”
The yards tumbled down on the caps in an instant as the last word ca from Captain Gillespie's lips; and at almost the same moment parties of the men raced up the fore and main and mizzen-shrouds, each lot anxious to have their sail reefed and rehoisted the first
The foretop men, however, this ti to the main-topsail; while those on the cro'jack-yard were coainst the fourteen in the other top--although To hi short-handed, have achieved the victory
Urged on by Tih, the men forere too smart for those aft, and had handed their topsail and were hoisting away at the halliards again before those reefing the main-topsail were all in fro froain, when an accident happened that nearly cost hih fortunately he escaped with only a fall and a fright
In order to render the work of reefing easier for the hands, the captain had directed the men at the wheel by a quick motion which they understood to ”luff her up” a bit, so as to flatten the sails; and now, on the folds of the ain as it caught the wind, the sail flapped back and jerked the unfortunate fellow off the yard, his hands clutching vainly at the eh the night was darkish, because the whiteness of the sails round; and, as he fell, with a shriek that seeonised suspense, expecting the next led body on the deck below
But, in place of this, a second later, a wild hurrah burst froing, who had re footsteps arrested in the ratlines in awful expectancy and horror It was a cheer of relief on their anxious fears being dispelled
I never heard such a hearty shout in , as it did, as if all the men had but one throat!
I seeh the shi+p; and we on the poop soon saw the reason for the triu of joy
The ain in the same way as the topsail above it had done; and when theover hiently drop hiht in thehis fall, so that he absolutely escaped unhurt, with the exception of a slight shaking and of course a biggish fright at falling
”Who is theout Captain Gillespie as soon as some of the hands had clambered up on top of the deck-house and released their corunting and squealing at his unexpected descent in their usson,” cried out one of the usson, sir”
Captain Gillespie was bothered, thinking he could not hear aright
”Joe Fergusson?” he called back ”I don't know any ned articles with me, and is entered on the shi+p's books Pass the word forrud for the bosun--where is he?”
”Here, sorr,” cried out Ti bounded to the scene of action the mo just in time to see his wonderful escape ”Here I am, sorr”
”Who is the man that fell?”
”Our new hand, sorr”
”New hand?” repeated Captain Gillespie after him, as perplexed as ever
”What new hand?”
”Joe Fergusson, sorr Himsilf and no ither, sure, sorr”
”What the dickens do ye ry at the usson or any new hands save those I brought on board st 'em, I'm certain”
”Aye, aye, thrue for ye, cap'en,” answered Tih, of course, I couldn't see him, I'm sure he must have winked when he spoke, there was a tone of such rich jocularity in his voice; ”but, sure, sor this is the chap as brought hiusson, by the same token!”