Now, get her inboard
an' secure her; we shan't want her in a hurry ag'in, till we come back
to the bay!"

"Mr Dort," he sang out presently to Eric, who was standing by ready for
the skipper's orders and watching his eye--prepared to jump anywhere at
a second's notice, and looking so full of eagerness and attention that
Fritz felt quite proud of him!

"Aye, aye, sir," answered the lad, touching his cap; for, nowhere is
deference insisted on so stringently from inferior officers to their
superiors as on board ship, especially in merchantmen commanded by
captains worth their salt. In no other way can proper respect be paid
to authority, or the necessary orders requisite for the safety and
comfort of all enforced.

"I give you charge o' the mizzen mast," said Captain Brown, meaning that
Eric would have to see to all that was necessary for making sail in the
after part of the ship. At the same time, the second mate stationed
himself amidships, and the first officer went forward to the bows, to
superintend the getting up of the anchor, each of them repeating the
several directions of the captain in turn.

"All hands make sail!" then shouted the skipper, who, with his hands in
the pockets of his monkey jacket, stood on the poop deck aft, looking
everywhere apparently in one glance, it was so comprehensive of
everything that was going on below and aloft; whereupon, the men, racing
up the rigging with alacrity, the topsails were soon sheeted home and
the yards hoisted, after which more canvas was unfolded to the breeze,
that came in short, sharp puffs off the land.

The headsails were then backed, as the ship brought up over her anchor;
and, the windlass coming round with a ringing "clink, clank!" of the
pawl to the hearty long heaves of the sailors--who worked at it with a
will, singing in chorus the while--the heavy weight of metal that still
attached the _Pilot's Bride_ to the sand and shells at the bottom of
Narraganset Bay was ere long lifted gradually above the water and run up
to the cathead. The jib and foretop-sail were then allowed to fill
again and the yards squared; when, the vessel, paying off, began to
move, at first slowly, and then more rapidly as she gathered way, out of
the harbour away towards the open sea, some thirty miles beyond.

The wind being light and flickering, the crew were soon ordered aloft
again to set the top-gallant-sails, for the breeze was so far favourable
that the ship did not have