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The topsail halliards had of course been let go before this, and the loose sails were filled out like balloons, so that it took some time to get in the bunt and tie the reef points; but it was at last done, and we returned to the deck I being especially triumphant at having out-paced one of the smartest topmen in the ship, in gaining the weather earing of the foretop sail before him, and completing my task so quickly as to get down on deck before some of the rest had yet left the yard.
It is called a "sacrifice hit" when the score is close and a player comes to the bat, and, although he would like to make a run, nevertheless, for the sake of the man on the base, he makes a "bunt," so that, while the pitcher or shortstop runs up to get the ball and put him out on first base, the man on the bases may make another base.
'Ready? comes the shouted query from the bunt. 'Ay, ay, sir! 'Haul out to windward! Eh hai, o ho, o ho oh! 'Far enough, sir? 'Haul out to leeward! Eh hai, o ho, o ho oh! 'That'll do! Tie her up and don't miss any points! 'Right-oh! Lay down from aloft and set the sail! Yo ho, yo hai, yo ho oh!
Anyhow, what D. told him was "the Lord said unto Moses," and now that he had the evidence of his own eyes Well, the next day he defied Bunt Rogers and all his works. To tell the plain truth, Bunt wasn't too well grounded in his newly cut infidelity.
Through daylight and dark I follow the bark I keep like a hound on her trail; I'm strongest at noon, yet under the moon, I stiffen the bunt of her sail." Sometimes I think Wolf Larsen mad, or half-mad at least, what of his strange moods and vagaries. At other times I take him for a great man, a genius who has never arrived.
All hands are engaged upon it, and after the halyards are let go, there is no time to be lost, no ``sogering, or hanging back, then. If one is not quick enough, another runs over him. The first on the yard goes to the weather earing, the second to the lee, and the next two to the ``dog's ears''; while the others lay along into the bunt, just giving each other elbow-room.
On the first pitch he broke for second, and had to slide to make it, as Blake missed the strike. Then Blake went out to first. Trace walked. McCord poked a little fly over the infield, scoring Dean. Ken fouled out. The unerring Homans again hit safely, sending Trace in. With two out and McCord on third and Homans on second, Raymond laid down a beautiful bunt, tallying McCord.
The mate then took his place between the knightheads to "twig" the fore, on the windlass to twig the main, and at the foot of the mainmast, for the mizen; and if anything was wrong, too much bunt on one side, clews too taught or too slack, or any sail abaft the yard, the whole must be dropped again.
"Aloft, topmen! lay out! furl!" cried the First Lieutenant of the Neversink. At the word the men sprang into the rigging, and on all three masts were soon climbing about the yards, in reckless haste, to execute their orders. Now, in furling top-sails or courses, the point of honour, and the hardest work, is in the bunt, or middle of the yard; this post belongs to the first captain of the top.
"Ye ain't never crossed the trail o' that mournful history?" I professed my ignorance and said: "They fought?" "Mister Man," returned Bunt soberly, as one broaching a subject not to be trifled with, "They sure did. Friendly-like, y'know like as how two high-steppin', sassy gents figures out to settle any little strained relations friendly-like but considerable keen."
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