THWARTING THE PLAN. 297 



"Well, we'll keep her." 



" Yes, and be caught in her, and hung up to her 

 fard-arms. Not I for one," here broke in a tall 

 Irishman, who had not before said much. 



" There's some fine spots among the South Sea- 

 Islands. Let us go for instance to "Ocean Island 

 in her, and there break her up, or wreck hei 

 before we get in." 



Now was my time to sum up the case; and 

 drawing a long breath, I was about to commence 

 such a setting forth of the whole matter as should 

 show them the unsafeness, as well as the unsatis 

 factoriness of any one of their proposed modes of 

 action, when the sharp voice of the captain was 

 heard, shouting 



"Do you hear there? Lay aft here, and sway 

 up this topsail ! The leech is hanging in a bight ! " 



"Aye, aye, sir/' sung out Scotch Jack; adding 

 in an under tone, " Blast you, I wish you were at 

 the other end of the halyards." 



We swayed up the top-sail, then pulled home 

 the top-gallant sheets, swayed up the top-gallar* 

 sail, and finished with the royal. 



" Now, we'll take a pull at the forward ha 

 yards," said the skipper ; who was never so well 

 pleased as when he was bowsing taut a rope 

 )r rather ordering others to do so. 



After half an hour's straining and hallooing, 

 every rope was again taut as a harpstring, and 

 we were told that "that would do, till the mid 

 watch." It was by this time eight bells; the 



