The Sea-Witch

," said the mate, walking aft

," said the captain,

ied to make the sails draw by altering th

rom the southwest. Up with the men forward once

e mate at the hatch-an order whi

ss, with studd'nsails out on both sides, while the fore and aft sails on the main and mizzen were boomed out wing and wing dead before the wind. The staysails and jibs were hauled down now as useless, and the vessel flew like a co

superior; "but she improves her speed upon to it, a

ereaway to the south-southwest; it looks like

don't like the looks of the weather in the southern board," said th

il, and shading his eyes with his hands for a moment, looked steadily to windward, then glanced at his well-filled sails as though he was loth to lose even a minute of such a fair wind. He delayed, however,

re royal and top-gallantsails, with

and sounds they loved, for they betokened a thorough and complete feel

the spanker up!" contin

of a half dozen ready hands, a

fore the on-coming gale at the rate of seventeen or eighteen knots an hour, being actually much faster than the sea. It was now evident

ior, with a calmness that evinced perfect self-relian

eed," answered the mate. "She's like a mettl

true nautical rule. Some men will always h

e captain, interrupting himself, to gi

ve in scudding, if

nt on the foresail, this wind is in earnest," said his superior, more serious

his post, every inch of the vessel seemed under his eye, and not the least trifle of duty was for a moment forgotten. If possible, he was more particular than usual that his orders in the smallest item were strictly observed, and thus with his iron will and strong intelligence he mastered every co

ew up in the wind with the rapidity of thought, and a report like that of a sc

fiercely, to the old tar who held his station at the

d on the larboard side, y

"Bear a hand here, Mr. Faulkner, and bend on a

ness of the young commander, whose word was law in that floating community. Fifty voices were raised in shouts above the storm, suggesting this expedient and that, but that

e in th

his order, looking abashed that there had been a to

the foot of the for

cured the rudder, now hastened by his commander,

e sheet

ay,

ay t

d once more had steerage way. Another foresail was now bent, and this time double-reefed, the foretopsail, too, was bent, close-ree

auled to the northwest, and the "Sea Witch" donned heir fore and aft rig on all her masts steering close-hauled again due cast, until the

t of men on board were visible from the shore; now and then perhaps the head of some taller hand than his fellows might loom up above the bulwarks at the waist, or a solitary seaman creep quietly aloft to reave a sheet through some block, or secure some por

minutes would have covered her with canvass, and slipping her cable she could in that space of time, had the order been issued from her quarter deck, have been

el, while at the same moment her young commander was seen with his boat's crew pulling back from the landing to his craft. His business was brief enough, for even now the anchor is once more away. The gallant ship spreads her br