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Updated: June 17, 2025
My friend continued, "When we dine with him, he tells us the most extraordinary stories, and if we do not laugh at the right place and pretend to believe them, we are sure to get mast-headed, or punished in some other way, before many hours are over." "A very unpleasant character," I observed, though its hideousness did not strike me so forcibly in those days as it does now.
"Is a midshipman higher than a captain?" she inquired, innocently. "Sometimes; when he's mast-headed," I answered. This seemed to satisfy her; and I, not wishing to be lowered in her estimation, was anxious to change the subject.
"I am very glad, Mr Rattlin," said the captain, approvingly, "to see you so attentive to your duty. No doubt you went up of your own accord to count the convoy?" "Indeed, sir," said I, with a great deal of humility, "I did not." "What how? I thought when I came on deck I heard you singing out." "I was mast-headed, sir." "Mast-headed! How for what?"
The truth must come out; and, to my mind, honesty is the best policy." "Well, but don't you see, D'Arcy, I shall get mast-headed and have my leave stopped, and I don't know what else all for shying a bone across the steerage," argued Dicky. "What business had the boatswain and carpenter to hit each other, I should like to know.
We had nearly mast-headed the yard, and the Second Mate was looking up at the dark outline of the sail, ready to sing out "Belay"; when, all at once, there came a queer sort of muffled shout from Williams. "Vast hauling, you men," shouted the Second Mate. We stood silent, and listened. "What's that, Williams?" he sung out. "Are you all clear?"
As soon as the ship was fairly clear of the harbour Ned kept her away on a south-west by west course for the island on which the skipper and Manners had been landed; and then, resolved to make the most of the fair wind and the fine weather, he ran aloft and loosed the three topsails, which, with a considerable amount of labour, and with the aid of the winch and a snatch-block, he and Price actually succeeded in getting sheeted home and mast-headed.
Presently, without a word having been spoken above a whisper, or a shout uttered, they came down again; the topsail halliards were manned, the yards mast-headed, the jib run up, the cable slipped, and we were under weigh; the fog all the time being as thick as a hedge, so thick indeed that it was impossible to see the jib-boom end from the quarter-deck.
Our pennant was then mast-headed to show that we understood; the flags disappeared on board the Frenchman, and another batch was run up, which, being interpreted, meant: "Brig " This also was acknowledged, and the signalling was continued until the whole message was completed, thus: "Same tonnage as " "Ourselves " "Hull " "Painted " "All black " "Steering west-north-west?"
Then came the sharp cheep, cheep of sheaves upon their pins as the topsails were sheeted home and the yards mast-headed, followed by a still louder flapping of canvas as the jib was hoisted. Then came the dull, heavy crunch of the carpenter's axe as he smote at the cables.
Then her topgallant-sails and royals fluttered a moment in the cool morning breeze as they were rapidly sheeted-home and mast-headed; and half an hour later the Virginia yes, there could be no doubt about it, it was our latest prize; and there, abaft the main rigging, stood the well-known figure of Smellie himself the Virginia hove-to close to windward of us, a boat was lowered, and we soon found ourselves standing safe and sound on the brig's deck, the cynosure of all eyes and the somewhat bewildered recipients of our former comrades' eager questions.
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