"While you're about it, get in the skysails and royals!" I shouted
down. "And make a decent job of the gasketing!"
Both Charles Davis and the Maltese Cockney advertised their relief in
their faces as they heard my words, and, at a nod from the gangster,
they started for'ard on the run to put the orders into effect.
Never, in the whole voyage, did our crew spring to it in more lively
fashion. And lively fashion was needed to save our gear. As it was,
they cut away the remnants of the mizzen-lower-topsail with their
sheath-knives, and they loosed the main-skysail out of its bolt-
ropes.
The first infraction of our agreement was on the main-lower-topsail.
This they attempted to furl. The carrying away of the crojack and
the blowing away of the mizzen-lower-topsail gave me freedom to see
and aim, and when the tiny messengers from my rifle began to spat
through the canvas and to spat against the steel of the yard, the men
strung along it desisted from passing the gaskets. I waved my will
to Bert Rhine, who acknowledged me and ordered the sail set again and
the yard trimmed.
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