A Chapter of Adventures

, uncle, over there

away the gaff at the jaws if we let the sail go over all standing now." As soon as they neared the buoy Tom Hoskins got in the oar with which the mainsail was boomed out. "Now, Jack, brail up the sail as she comes

it. You had better let the foresail down, Tom; the wind is heavy, a

el of deep water leading between the Spitway Buoy and the Bell Buoy, and almost at right angles to the course they had before been following. The wind was almost on their beam, and even under the reduced canvas the Be

we are round the Bell Buoy before it came up. Jack, you may

been raining more or less ever since they started. Jack was below, when he heard a far louder roar of the wind t

off the waves and driving them into sheets of spray; then great drops of rain struck the d

fire. It settled down so dark when the squall struck the boat that he could scarce see across the little cabin. Regardless of the howling of the wind and the motion of the vessel, he sat on the floor putting in stick after stick to hasten up the fire. As soon as the kettle boiled he put in a h

Jack was within two or three feet of him, he scarcely heard him. "There is nothing to

s of foam where the sea was breaking on the sands. He went up to the bow and looked ahead through

wn we will give her a clear berth. They won't be able to look far ahead in the face of this wind and rain." Jack went forward again and lay down on the lockers. He thought little of the storm. It was a severe one, no doubt, bu

Tom Hoskins was now at the helm. Tripper was standing beside him, and po

is it,

ip ashore on the Middle Sunk." Jack gazed in the direction in w

rongest ship that ever was built could not hold together long

we do so

and we could lay our course there. It is a risky business, you know, and we may not be able to get near her when we get there; but that

r said. "I have neither wife nor child, and

"I would not mind if it wa

nything in the world. Do try it, uncle. It would be awful to think of afterwards, when we hear o

will put the last reef in the foresail and hoist it, slack the brail and haul down the main-tack a bit. We must keep good way on her crossing the tide." Now that they were nearly close-hauled instead of running before the wind, Jack recog

into broken water near the wreck." Most of the bawleys are provided with hatches for closing the long narrow place known as the 'well,' but it is only under quite exceptio

fore-sheet as I do, and belay it with the foot of the sail just to

to the other two, and in three or four minutes the tarpaulin was se

resently. Now, Tom, before we get well away again get the last reef in the mainsail, then we can haul the tack down taut aga

e less high. But on either hand they were breaking wildly, for there were still but four or five feet of water over the sands. The sea was nearly abeam now, and several times Jack almost held his breath as the waves lifted the Bessy bodily to leeward and threatened to cast her into the breaking waters but a few fathoms away. But the skipper knew his boat well and humoured her through the waves, taking advantage of every squall

, Tom?" Ben Tripper asked. "She is

the edge of the sand to leeward of her. They may be able to drift a line down t

wind and the set of tide, otherwise they will never drift a line down to us. She won't

of people could be seen huddled up in the bow as they neared her. Tom Hoskins and Jack had for the last ten minutes been busy getti

s there on th

nt we do so let the two anchors go. Wind and tide will take her off again quick enough. Pay out ten or twelve fathoms of chain

in readiness to let go at a moment's n

n had before been violent, but to a certain extent regular; now she was tossed in all directions so sharply and violently that he expected every moment that the mast would go. Tom looked round at Ben. The latter pointed to the

oment he steadied himself, and crept forward and cut the lashing of the hawser just as Tom severed that of the chain. The latter rattled out for a moment. There was another shock, but less violent than the first, and then the renewed rattle of the chain showed

said, examining the lea

s of chain," Ben said, himself atten

he lead-line. It hung straight

!" Ben said. "Now

e to look about them. Those on board the ship had lost no time, and ha

see, I allowed for wind and tide, and the wind does not affect the spar,

line until the spar floated abreast of the smac

y to get up sail again we should drift away so far

ore rope I could soon do it. I could not swim across the tide now

ver swim in t

a line round me, and if I cannot get there you will ha

ore line. They soon understood him, and the spar was presently floating twenty yards further astern. Jack had by this time stripped. A strong line was now fast