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The fore-ends of the planks had been sawn away to the shape of a sharp wedge to facilitate the movement of the raft through the water, and on the foremost cross-piece had been rigged an oar for a mast, upon which was set a hastily-contrived squaresail, made out of a piece of old tarpaulin.
The Chileno looked at him with blazing eyes, and half raised his hand as if to strike. Then, without a word, he turned away and went on deck. Brabant was seated on the skylight with an outspread chart before him. "Keep her S.S.W., Pedro. We are steering for Hunter's Island. Set the squaresail."
The great mainsail swung over to the other side, and the breeze favouring, the squaresail was set as well, and the Kestrel, so late helpless on shore, began to skim over the surface of the water at a tremendous rate, while the lieutenant, having given his orders as to which way the cutter's head should be laid, went down to the cabin to bathe his painful eye, having told one of the men to bring him some warm water from the galley.
Five long minutes; there is a breath of air; a soft distant murmur; the white horses curve their necks, and dive and vanish; and rise again like snowy porpoises, nearer, and nearer, and nearer. Father and sons are struggling with that raving, riotous, drunken squaresail forward; while we haul away upon the main-sheet. When will it come? It is dying back sliding past us.
It was slow work; but little by little the squaresail on the boom expanded to the dimensions of a serviceable mainsail with a peak to it and a leech besides. If it was not the best-setting sail afloat, it was at least very strongly made and would stand n hard blow.
Lay to till 4, and then began the chase again, they having got almost out of sight. Thursday, 6th. Still in chase of the 5 vessels. Set our spritsail, topsail & squaresail, with a fair breeze of wind. One of the ships brought to and fired a gun to wait for a sloop that was in Comp' with her, & to wait for us. We took in all our small sails, bore down on her, & hoisted our pennant.
The lugger now began to fire her long gun; the shot, though failing to strike, pitched sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other side of the cutter. "Why don't we try and knock away some of her spars?" observed Lord Reginald. "Little use firing our pop-guns," answered the commander; "our shot won't reach her as yet." Presently the long gun sent its missile through the cutter's squaresail.
"Send you back, my boys! No, no, too happy to get you." Another gun from the corvette. "Firebrands, you must shove off. My compliments, Wiggins, to the Captain, and there's a trifle for you to drink my health, when you get into port." The boat shoved off the corvette filled her maintopsail. "Put the helm down ease off the mainsheet stand by to run up the squaresail.
The lugger having rounded the western end of the Isle of Wight, the helm was put up, the yards squared away, the flying topsails and big squaresail set, and she stood across Channel, bounding lightly over the dancing seas. A craft with a fast pair of heels alone could have caught her.
Again the helm was ported, but before the commander had time to shout "Fire!" the schooner was seen to haul down her flag, at the same time to take in her squaresail and clew up her foretopsail.
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