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Updated: May 8, 2025
"I'll just step up as far as the crosstrees myself." "Very good, Mr Mildmay; do so by all means," said Captain Vernon. "But the wind is light, and what little of it there is will carry the sound of your voice down to the brig if you hail the deck, and so apprise them of our approach.
A look-out man was kept on the maintopmast crosstrees from dawn until sunset each day to watch for passing vessels, and long, painful days rolled on without our sighting anything. Sometimes a sail would be seen hull down or too far off to attract attention.
At daylight on the morning of the third day out the thrilling cry from the crosstrees "sail ho!" created a commotion on the privateer's deck, and brought Marcy Gray up the ladder half dressed. "Where away?" shouted Captain Beardsley. "Broad on our weather beam and standing straight across our bows," was the encouraging response from aloft.
"Shall we have a fire to-night, Daddy?" asked Dotty as they left the table. "Oh, not to-night. It's pretty late, and we're all tired out. We'll leave that for to-morrow night. You see, Dolly Fayre, the curtain doesn't really rise on the glories of Camp Crosstrees until to-morrow. Can you wait?" "Yes, indeed, Mr. Rose," and Dolly smiled bravely. "Where is it that we're going to sleep?"
"But he couldn't lie down; and when the time came that I had to sleep in the crosstrees again, I found, on waking, that Barnes had followed me, and in some way had got my gun out of my pocket. I knew he had it by the insane way he laughed as I came down from my perch.
But the feeling was merely momentary; an old adage flashed into my mind to the effect that one need never trouble about crossing a bridge until one comes to it; also that it is very unwise to meet troubles halfway. I told myself that I would not worry about the difficulties and dangers ahead, but would stand up there in the crosstrees and deal with them, one at a time, as we came to them.
He came soon after on deck and hailed the lookout: "Which way is she standing?" "Can't say, sir. Can't see her move any." Dodd ordered the boatswain to pipe to breakfast; and taking his deck glass went lightly up to the fore-top-gallant-mast crosstrees.
All these surmises and many others equally wild flashed through my bewildered brain as I stood there on the crosstrees watching the stealthy phantom-like movement of the brig's upper spars; and the conclusion to which I finally came was that Captain Vernon ought to be informed forthwith of what was going on. I accordingly descended to the deck and once more sought out the third lieutenant.
I know Camp Crosstrees will seem deserted and desolate without these two little rays of sunshine." After affectionate leavetakings, Mr. Rose departed and the two girls went on with Mr. Fayre. He was not of such a jolly nature as Mr. Rose, nor so inclined to talk with the children.
Are there any other officers among us?" "I'm here," replied Pottle. "And I," said Woodford. "And I," added Marchmont, the younger of the two midshipmen. "Well done!" thought I, "this is better than I dared hope." I invited the speakers to join me in my comparatively sheltered position in the crosstrees; and when they had done so an effort was made to ascertain the extent of our loss.
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