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His example was followed by all the topmen; and in less than a minute, there was every appearance that the audacious marines would be borne down by the sheer force of numbers. But, stout in their resolution, and bitter in their hostility, these drilled and resentful warriors, instead of seeking refuge in flight, fell back upon each other, for support.
The manoeuvre brought her on to the starboard side of the Frenchman, and the trim little frigate seemed to heel right over under the crashing broadside which burst from the gaping ports. A moment later her topmen were swarming aloft to set her top-sails and royals, and she strove to cross the Gloire's bows and rake her again.
"He ought to have given that order when the to'gallants were taken in!" "Better late than never, say I," said Mr Jellaby, laughing, as the topmen raced up the ratlines and the weather braces were rounded-in, preparatory to reefing. "Really, Stormcock, you're the most inveterate growler I have come across in the service since first I went to sea, by Jove!"
The topsail halliards had of course been let go before this, and the loose sails were filled out like balloons, so that it took some time to get in the bunt and tie the reef points; but it was at last done, and we returned to the deck I being especially triumphant at having out-paced one of the smartest topmen in the ship, in gaining the weather earing of the foretop sail before him, and completing my task so quickly as to get down on deck before some of the rest had yet left the yard.
Few of the topmen could equal me in speed, still fewer surpass me in feats of daring activity, could run along the topsail-yards out to the yard-arm, go from one mast to the other by the stays, or down on deck in the twinkling of an eye by the topsail halyards; and, as I knew myself to be an expert swimmer, I cared little about the chance of being drowned; but when I witnessed the fate of the poor marine, who I saw could swim as well if not better than myself, I became much more cautious.
He was seen standing aft conning the brig; the topmen were in the rigging, ready to swarm aloft to shorten sail; a party of the hands stood on the forecastle with the second lieutenant and boatswain, ready to secure the hawsers. The rest of the hands were at their stations on deck. The work, to be done successfully, must be done smartly; everyone knew that. Rapidly the brig approached.
Before I could reply, however, the commander seemed to have arrived at Mr Stormcock's opinion, that we were still carrying too much canvas, for he came to the break of the poop and shouted out to the boatswain's mate. "Hands reef topsails!" he cried. "Topmen aloft! Take in two reefs!" "Not a bit too soon," growled the master's mate, under his breath.
The ropes by which the sails were secured to the yards were removed at this order, and the topmen held the sails in their places. "All ready on the forecastle, sir," reported Foster, who was captain of that part of the ship. "All ready in the foretop." "All ready in the maintop." "All ready in the mizzentop," reported the several captains of the tops, in their proper order.
Desborough had the trumpet; the alert and eager topmen were sent aloft to strip the ship of the little canvas which the heavy weather and weakened spars had permitted them to show. It was a race between them and the coming storm. The men worked desperately, madly; some of them had not yet reached the deck when the rain and the wind were upon them.
"Shake out the reefs in the fore-topsail, my lads." The topmen flew aloft and the sail was hoisted. Soon afterwards the captain gave the order to set the fore-topgallantsail. "We must get preventer braces on it," he observed to the first mate; "it won't do to run the risk of carrying away the spar." The additional ropes were quickly secured by the active crew.
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