It was the last watch in the morning, and Harry, hearing loud voices on
deck, ventured out. It was a clear, cold morning, the moon had gone
down, and Venus was just rising in the east; on every side was the blue
rolling water. They had left Nantucket miles behind. Sampson, who was on
duty, seeing the boy looking out, as if he had come to the conclusion
that the island had been submerged, shook out a reef in the line which
he was making fast, that he might catch the boy's ear, and pointing to a
dim light far down in the distant horizon, he remarked, "Look well, it's
old Sankoty; I'm thinking you'll have seen different days when you make
her again."
"Halloo, there, aft!" called out the captain; "has that kitten got to
mewing? Bear a hand there, and square your mizzen topsail," added he, a
tone of mockery.
The order had hardly left his lips, when Harry, with a hearty "aye, aye,
sir!" sprang into the cross-trees, and in a twinkling had reached the
masthead, calling out in a voice which brought to the mind of each old
tar that he had once a mother,--"square away it is, sir."
The captain could scarce believe his eyes; seeing by the smile upon the
face of every man on deck, that he had been decidedly sold, he hailed
him again.
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