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"A sail on the weather bow!" was shouted by the look-out at the mast's head, always the keenest sighted of the seamen on board in those days. The frigate made all sail in pursuit of the stranger, a large schooner under French colours. The chase stood into a bay defended by a fort, where she was seen to anchor with springs to her cables.
"She stops, and puts a boat over the side." "Dost thou see her flag?" "Is there no other sign by which she may be known if Roman?" "If Roman, she hath a helmet over the mast's top." "Then be of cheer. I see the helmet." Still Arrius was not assured. "The men in the small boat are taking in the people afloat. Pirates are not humane."
Brilliantly twines the golden flax round the swift-whirling spindles, Through the strings of the yarn whizzes the shuttle away. Far in the roads the pilot calls, and the vessels are waiting, That to the foreigner's land carry the produce of home; Others gladly approach with the treasures of far-distant regions, High on the mast's lofty head flutters the garland of mirth.
And setting to work himself, he was soon followed by one and another, till order and work went on well enough. "And where are we going, when the mast's up?" shouted some saucy hand from behind. "Where you daren't follow us alone by yourself, so you had better keep us company," replied Yeo. "I'll tell you where we are going, lads," said Amyas, rising from his work.
And first the arrow of the son of Hyrtacus, flying through heaven from the sounding string, whistles through the fleet breezes, and reaches and sticks fast full in the mast's wood: the mast quivered, and the bird fluttered her feathers in affright, and the whole ground rang with loud clapping.
What's the mighty difference between holding a mast's lightning-rod in the storm, and standing close by a mast that hasn't got any lightning-rod at all in a storm? Don't you see, you timber-head, that no harm can come to the holder of the rod, unless the mast is first struck? What are you talking about, then?
So we buoyed the cable, not being able to get the anchor in this sea, and then stepped the yard in the mast's place, and hoisted the peak of the sail corner-wise as best we might; and that was enough to heel us almost gunwale under as the cable was slipped and the ship headed about up the river mouth.
Her eyes were fixed upon one spot in that distant curtain of sky. Suddenly she pointed with her finger. "What's that?" she asked. "No, the mast's dipping now you can't see. There the other side." He followed her outstretched finger, and slowly his fine black eyebrows grew closer and closer together.
Michael, the Duke's anxious face became cheerful, for a favorable wind had set in, and the word was given to embark. Horses were led into the ships, the shields hung round the gunwale, and the warriors crowded in, the Duke, in his own Mora, leading the way, the Pope's banner at his mast's head, and a lantern at the stern to guide the rest.
Luckily one of the English had kept his match alight during the scuffle. "Thanks be! Help me to unship the gun the mast's in the way here." The patararo, or brass swivel, was unshipped. "Steady, lads, and keep it level, or you'll shake out the priming. Ship it here; turn out that one, and heave it into that boat, if they come alongside. Steady now so!
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