"I didn't have that in mind, and I don't care to change my mind now.
When every sail is stretched and every yard braced, and all that mess
of gear cleared up, food for a good meal will be served out. You
needn't bother about the spanker nor the mizzen-braces. We'll make
your work lighter by that much."
In truth, as they climbed aloft they showed how miserably weak they
were. There were some too feeble to go aloft. Poor Sundry Buyers
continually pressed his abdomen as he toiled around the deck-
capstans; and never was Nancy's face quite so forlorn as when he
obeyed the Maltese Cockney's command and went up to loose the mizzen-
skysail.
In passing, I must note one delicious miracle that was worked before
our eyes. They were hoisting the mizzen-upper-topsail-yard by means
of one of the patent deck-capstans. Although they had reversed the
gear so as to double the purchase, they were having a hard time of
it. Lars Jacobsen was limping on his twice-broken leg, and with him
were Sundry Buyers, Tony the Greek, Bombini, and Mulligan Jacobs.
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