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Lines had been passed through the chocks of each, sails had been hauled down, and both yachts rode inertly side by side. The part of our crew that had stayed behind to attend these matters now came over the rail like monkeys, grinning broadly and crowding up to shake hands with me a wholly uncalled for proceeding which charmed me, nevertheless.
Well, whoever it was, he himself was screened by the stem of one of the ship's boats swung in and resting on chocks. They would not see him, which was all right, for he was in a queer mood and not inclined to talk. After a turn or two, the footsteps paused, then something brushed his elbow in the darkness, as suddenly starting away, while a half-frightened voice exclaimed: "Oh, I beg your pardon.
The helpers stood at the wings, ready to take out the chocks when the motors had warmed; the mechanics took their places at the props. How envious they were! The little wasps that they had so carefully groomed were going forward to the battle zone, and every mechanic offered up prayer that his ship would function perfectly and make good the hope which Cowan had expressed. A prop went over, whish!
It seemed to her that there was a particularly strange echo, flattened but keen, as though reverberating from the bank of the river high above her head. "Now, what can that be?" she thought, and once looked up the slope to the heap of logs which were held in place by chocks on the very verge of the steep descent.
The ship was headed toward them, and when within half a mile the mainyard was backed, and three boats, under the charge of the captain and the first and second mates, respectively, were lowered. Their only other boat was a spare one, lashed amidships on chocks. Arriving at the spot where they had been sighted at the ship, the men discovered that the whales had sounded and vanished.
Before lowering the boat for the chase, the upper end of the line is taken aft from the tub, and passing round the loggerhead there, is again carried forward the entire length of the boat, resting crosswise upon the loom or handle of every man's oar, so that it jogs against his wrist in rowing; and also passing between the men, as they alternately sit at the opposite gunwales, to the leaded chocks or grooves in the extreme pointed prow of the boat, where a wooden pin or skewer the size of a common quill, prevents it from slipping out.
Those that knocked the chocks out from under that heap of logs? You don't suppose that avalanche of timber started all by itself?" "I don't know what you are talking about, Mr. Hooley," declared Ruth Fielding. "And surely," Helen added quickly, "you do not suppose that it was her fault? She might have been killed."
From the lower deck two ladders led to the bridge deck at the forward end of which was situated the captain's stateroom. Aft of this building most of the remaining bridge deck was taken up by two lifeboats, canvas-covered and housed in chocks. On the top of the captain's cabin was the bridge and chart-house, reached by two ladders which passed up at either side of the cabin.
But even then Mr Reardon did not seem to be satisfied, for he set the men to work hauling water casks from the hold, and make a pile of them amidships. Lastly, a couple of the boats were turned bottom upward on improvised chocks placed over the deck-house and galley. I have not mentioned the guns, though.
The gripes, I saw, had been cast off, and the boat was supported solely by her chocks, upon which she stood upright on the main hatchway.
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