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'T was n' like fishun! There the schooner was, tearun through all, an' we runnun for dear life. I falled among the slob, and got out agen. 'T was another man pushun agen me doned it. I could n' 'elp myself from goun in, an' when I got out I was astarn of all, an' there was the schooner carryun on, right through to clear water!
As he descended the short companion-ladder he turned round and observed with a comical look, "I say, Harry, I hope there ain't no stray sarpents knocking about in this here neighbourhood; 'twould be uncommon awk'ard for us to have one of they chaps waiting for us ahead and that infarnal brig still in sight astarn."
But we went on and on without success, the river, if anything, growing wider, till all at once, as we were slowly gliding round a bend, leaving a thick track of black smoke in the misty morning air, one of the men in the top hailed the deck. "Sail ho, sir!" "Where away?" "Dead astarn, sir!" "What?" "Dead astarn, sir!"
"Only a gust of wind passing through the dried boughs of the canoe," said the boatswain: "but since we can get nothing out of that crazed noddle of yours, see if you can't do something with your hands. That 'ere canoe running alongside, takes half a knot off the ship's way. Bear a hand then, and cast off the painter, and let her drop astarn, that she may follow in our wake.
"Aye, aye, Shipmate, that does ketch me, all aback, shipmate. Why Lord! I'd give a pound, two pound ah, ten! just to have been astarn of him wi' a rope's end, though come to think of it I'd ha' preferred a capstan-bar." "Peterday," said the Sergeant removing his gaze from the wall with a jerk, "on the twenty-fifth instant we shall be without a roof to cover us, and all my doing.
"Ahoy you, Tressady!" roared Godby in reply, "Cap'n Adam is ashore wi' ye this moment look astarn o' you, ye rogue!" Round sprang Tressady as out from the dense shadow of Bartlemy's tree stepped Adam Penfeather himself.
The wind were light that day as we bore down on their line in two columns, d' ye see, sir we was in Nelson's column, the weather line 'bout a cable's length astarn o' the 'Victory. On we went, creeping nearer and nearer the 'Victory, the old 'Bully-Sawyer, and the 'Temeraire' and every now and then the Mounseers trying a shot at us to find the range, d' ye see.
"Only a gust of wind passing through the dried boughs of the canoe," said the boatswain: "but since we can get nothing out of that crazed noddle of yours, see if you can't do something with your hands. That 'ere canoe running alongside, takes half a knot off the ship's way. Bear a hand then, and cast off the painter, and let her drop astarn, that she may follow in our wake.
"But I can't see the stem, uncle." "What a speech for a seaman to make! Don't you see the fire in the bowl?" "Yes, of course." "Well, just make a grab two inches astarn of the bowl and you'll hook the stem." The captain was looking earnestly into the bowl while he spoke, stuffing down the burning tobacco with the end of his little finger.
But it's no hard matter to knock a few cloths out of their bolt-ropes, when she will both drop astarn and to leeward." "I believe there is good sense in your scheme, this time," said Barnstable; "for I am anxious about the frigate's people though I hate a noisy chase; speak to him, Tom, and let us see if he will answer."
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