LE VP TE OM MOL Mild 2 SNCAUN OG KOE Ai Sieh OVALS

This was evidently a different lot; there was an unmistakable air of business
about their tar-stained overalls and sunburnt and not over-clean hands and
faces.

“T guess those fellows who are always talking about crawling in through
the cabin windows never saw this part of it,” he soliloquized.

With the helm hard down the big ship came slowly up into the wind; down
came the head sails at the order, and relieved of the pressure forward she luffed
rapidly.

“ By Jove, I believe she would tack in a calm’ thought Jack.

Flap went the spanker, the premonitory signal that the wind was nearly
ahead, and then the order, “ Haul taut! Mainsail, haul!” There was a rush of
feet, a creaking of blocks, the after yards flew round and the vessel “ fell off”
slowly on the other tack.

“ Hoist away the head sails! Haul well taut; let go and haul!” and the head
yards swung quickly into place. ‘Reeve and haul the bowlines! Haul taut the
weather lifts and braces!”

The sails bellied out with the light air, the ship forged oe ahead and
the evolution of tacking was completed.

“TJ did not think she would do it,” remarked Jack, turning to the captain.

“Well, you see she did, and now we are around; what next? One thing is
certain, we can’t go in far on this tack.”

“‘No, sir; about four miles; then one must tack again,” answered Jack.

“Excuse me, Captain, but now that we are well clear of that shoal, whatever
it is,’ interrupted the navigator, “don’t you think we had better anchor and

wait for clear weather? We are actually surrounded Dy, shoals, and I don’t
believe mortal man can get her through in a fog like this.”

“Yes; I think you are right. We ll run for a few minutes fee and then
bring to; but hold on,” continued the captain ; “ the pilot said something about
not anchoring. I say, Mr. Pilot, is there any reason why we should not.
anchor now ?”

Jack felt rather flattered at being addressed so ceremoniously, but he answered
quietly :

“ Yes, sir, there is; we can’t anchor, we must keep on.”

“ But why?” sharply inquired the navigator. “It is the simplest thing in
the world to drop an anchor under foot and wait for the fog to lift.”

“Well, sir,” said Jack, hesitating a little, “it seems a little bit cheeky for a
boy like me to be giving my opinion here amongst all you officers, but I know
our shoals and I know our weather. Do you feel this long swell that is rolling
in? It’s the longest ground swell I ever felt on the shoals, now the glass
is low, and” —

“ How is that, Mr. Marline?” asked the captain.

“Right, sir; been falling since midnight,” answered the officer.