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They must have run into the inner harbour to avoid it. We must follow them there," was his answer. "Shorten sail! Let the ship stand in under her topsails." The courses were accordingly brailed up, and the top-gallant-sails furled, and under easy sail we stood up the inner harbour. Still nothing could we see of the fleet not a light did any of the ships show. On we glided through the calm water.
The wind now freshening, and the rent sails like to blow from the yards, we brought the brigantine to the wind, and brailed up the canvas. This left us at liberty to examine the craft, though, unfortunately, the night was growing hazy.
Who like to broke his back doin' of it? Peth did, that's who. Now he ain't good enough, once ye make fast to a millionaire." "You talk like an old mitten with the thumb brailed up," said Jarrow. "Where was this millionaire feller when ye wanted a man to stand by and raise the Nuestra, I'd like ?" "Belay that!" said Jarrow. "I'm talkin' for yer own good. There's money in this cruise for both of us.
By midnight the wind had further increased to such an extent that sail was still further reduced, the courses being taken off the ship, the jib stowed, and the mizen brailed in, leaving nothing set but the three double-reefed topsails and the fore and main-topmast staysails.
"Now, men, take in the flying jib," cried Captain Billings, when we had come below, having so far stripped the ship for the coming fight; and the headsail was stowed, the spanker and trysail were brailed, the courses hauled up and the yards squared, when we awaited the attack of the pampero.
When the watch had braced the yards, the mate ordered the spanker brailed in and the mizzen-royal clued up, as the ship steered hard. This was done, and the men coiled up the gear. "Let the spanker hang in the brails; tie up the royal," ordered the mate from his position at the break of the poop. "Aye, aye, sir," answered a voice from the group, and an active figure sprang into the rigging.
First he hauled in the sheet, and then he hauled it out, with no result. "Brail the damned thing up!" he bawled at last, with a red face. "There ain't no sense in it." It was the last stroke of bewilderment for the poor captain, that he had no sooner brailed up the spanker than the vessel came before the wind.
The wind was light, and there was no great difference in point of sailing. The English sailors were vigilant, and when the Frenchman brailed up his great sail, so as to fall behind, they at once followed his example.
Finally he suffered his craft to drive,—hoping at least to find some islet with a sandy shore where he could beach her with safety. The Solon, however, was near her doom. She was built on the Samian model, broad, flat, high in poop, low in prow,—excellent for cargo, but none too seaworthy. The foresail blew in tatters. The closely brailed mainsail shook the weakened mast.
A cloud rises to windward, looking a little black; the skysails are brailed down; the captain puts his head out of the companion-way, looks at the cloud, comes up, and begins to walk the deck.
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