le it was being done. When
we had finished it was, "Haul the seine-boat alongside--pump out what
water's left." Then, "Shift that painter and hook on the big painter.
Drop her astern and give her plenty of line. Where's the dorymen?
Where's Tommie and Joe? Haul the dories into the hatch, Tommie, and
make 'em fast. Gripe 'em good while you're at it. Clear the deck of
all loose gear--put it below, all of it--keelers, everything. Maybe
'twon't be much of a blow, but there's no telling--it may. She mayn't
be the kind that washes everything over, but put it all safe anyway."

The skipper watched all this until he had seen everything cleared up
and heard "All fast the dory," from the waist. Then he looked up and
took note of sky and wind. "Don't feel any too good. Maybe 'twill blow
off, but we might's well run in. We'll have to wait for our other
seine anyway and Wesley will be sure to put into the Breakwater for
news on his way down, especially if it comes to blow."

He dropped below then to light his pipe. Seeing me and Parsons, with
me trying to fix up Parsons's leg where it had been gashed--Eddie
never knew how--in the mix-up of the evening, the skipper said,
"There's some liniment in the chest and some linen in one of the
drawers under my bunk. Get it. And some of you might's well turn in
and have a nap. She'll be all right--the watch and myself can look
after her now," and he went on deck again, puffing like an engine to
keep his pipe going.

Most of them did turn in and were soon asleep. Some of the older men
had a smoke and an overhauling of their wet clothes, while a few
joined in a little game of draw before turning in. One or two were
deploring the loss of the seine. The nearness to losing lives didn't
seem to be worrying anybody. For myself, I was somewhat worked up.
There was one time in the water when I thought I was gone. So I went
on deck after the skipper. It was a black night and breezing all the
time and I wanted to see how the vessel behaved. The Johnnie was
close-hauled at this time and swashing under, and I knew without
asking further that the skipper intended to make Delaware Breakwater.

While hurrying forward, after lending a hand to batten down the main
hatch--the Johnnie plunging along all the time--and my head perhaps a
little too high in the air, I stumbled off the break and plump over a
man under the windward rail. I thought I was going to leeward and
maybe overboard, but somebody hooked onto