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As soon as the reef points were untied came the order: "Slack away the reef tackle, and see that the caring will run easy. "Now up with the throat halliard. That will do. "Now the gaff a little more. Belay there. "Now get that topsail up from the sail locker. We won't shift jibs just yet, until we see whether the breeze is going to freshen."
About 12.48 P.M. the end of the flag-staff was shot down, and the flag fell. It had been previously hanging by one halliard, the other having been cut by a piece of shell. The exultation of the enemy, however, was short-lived. Peter Hart found a spar in the fort, which answered very well as a temporary flag-staff.
I accordingly dashed forward to the mast, and, shipping the crank handle of the winch, hove away upon the halliard for dear life. The yard and sail crept slowly oh, how very slowly up the mast, the canvas rustling in the wind noisily enough to wake the dead, still more to reach the ears and give the alarm to those in the dinghy.
The chief-mate, however, affected to believe the former, and exclaiming, loud enough for the men to hear him: "Tut, tut, this will never do! the stranger is walking away from us, and the skipper will make a pretty fuss in the morning," he there and then began forward with the flying-jib, and made the watch sweat up every halliard throughout the ship, and the same with the sheets of the square canvas.
Andy and Jamie tied them easily enough, and then Doctor Joe tied them himself to keep pace with the boys, and Andy relieved David at the tiller that he might try his hand at them; David not only tied all the knots illustrated in the handbook, but for good measure added a bowline on a bight, a double carrick bend, a marlin hitch and a halliard hitch.
Not yet am I ready to weigh anchor, and reeve halliard, and turn my prow over the watery paths of the wine-brown Deeps. Oh no. Not yet. Let him die. Many and many are the days in which I shall yet see the light, walk, think. I am averse to end the number of my years: there is even a feeling in me at times that this worn body shall never, never taste of death.
"That'll be the best plan, no doubt," acquiesced the chief mate; and he proceeded forthwith on a tour round the decks, easing up a brace here, and a halliard there, with a touch also at the sheets and bowlines, by way of insuring an agreeable and harmonious result. When he had finished, the brig looked like a collier, and her speed had decreased from eight to a little over five knots.
Fortunately at this critical moment the wind lulled for a brief spell, which enabled them to accomplish the task, and make the halliard fast. "Now come over here," Eben again commanded. "I want ye to look after the sheet-line." He darted across the deck, the men following him as fast as possible. "Look after this rope," he continued, "an' do jist as I say."
"The fore topgallant halliard was not made fast to the cleat, and when it ran out, it jerked her from it," replied the commander. "It ought not to have been loose, and there is a bit of discipline for some jack-tar." The ship went along as before; and when the passengers turned out the next morning Manila was in sight, and not five miles distant.
"Hoist away!" ordered the lieutenant, himself giving a hand on the halliard. Up the signal mast went the line of bunting, fluttering. The little flags spelled out this message to the gunboat: "Evidence of serious foul play. Join us to investigate." Almost immediately there came a signal from the bridge of the gunboat, to show that the message had been read.
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