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Updated: May 16, 2025
See the people on the beach, and the girls in white duck skirts; and look up there by the veranda let me take the glass yes, there's a tally-ho coach. Isn't it queer to get back to this sort of thing after Magdalena Bay and the beach-combers?" Moran spun the wheel without reply, and gave an order to Jim to ease off the foresheet.
We had not gone far, however, before the gale increased in fury until it turned into a regular hurricane. First our foresheet was carried away; this was followed by our staysail, and things began to look serious, in fact, most unpleasantly so. The captain almost seemed to lose his head, and cursed loud and long.
"I'll bet a beaver hat," said Campbell, "he can't do that again." "This will never do," exclaimed the captain, greatly alarmed, and pale as a ghost. "He will hull us next time, and send us all to 'Davy's locker. Haul the foresheet to windward!" This was done; and the pilot-boat lay like a log on the water, waiting the approach of our pursuer.
A crushing load fell off my chest. We had made her out together, old Pedro and I. And then the last part of Sebright's plan had to be carried out at once. The foresheet of the drogher appeared to part, our mainsail shook, and before I could gasp twice, we had drifted stern foremost into the Lion's mizzen chains with a crash that brought a genuine expression of concern to the old negro's face.
Shure I'm here at the helm, and a weight on my mind, and it's fitther for you, Jim, to mind your own business and lay me to mind mine; away wid you there and be handy, haul taut that foresheet there, we must run close on the wind; be handy, boys; make everything dhraw."
The crew gazed and peered into the gloom and listened, and then they shouted all together, but they could hardly hear each other's voices, and there was no answer; all had perished, and rescue close at hand! Suddenly there was a lift in the rain, and between them and the land they saw another flare, 'Down with the foresheet! All hands to the foresheet!
"D'ye know much of that strapping lass?" said Mr Vanslyperken's new acquaintance. "Not I," replied Vanslyperken, not much pleased at the observation. "Well, look out for squalls, she'll be as good as her word. We'll draw the foresheet, and stand in now, if you please." It was about dusk, for the days were now short, and the cutter was eight miles off the land.
Two hands went to each of the halliards, while, as the sail rose, Tom Virtue fastened the toggles round the mast. "All ready, Watkins?" "All ready, sir." "Slack off the weather foresheet, then, and haul aft the leeward. Slack out the mizzen sheet a little, Jack. That's it; now she's off again, like a duck."
"How does she bear?" cried Vincent, starting up from his couch, as if he instinctively knew what was to be told. "Two points on the weather bow, captain," replied the negro. "I think she has her foresheet to windward." "What's the time?" "One bell in the morning watch; it will be daylight in an hour." "Very good. How far is she off?" "About four miles." "Pipe to quarters; I will be up directly."
"Hard a-port your helm! Look out for that foresheet." As the schooner fell off and again came gradually to the wind, she shot across the hawse of the waterspout, which swept closely along under our stern, almost spattering the water in our very faces, and tearing and roaring like the cataract of Niagara!
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