n remarked. As he spoke the snow-white pile
lay over in the opposite direction, and the whole broadside of the
vessel became visible to them, every sail standing out as though carved
from ivory against the cold blue sky. "If we don't catch her on this
tack we won't get her at all," the fisherman observed. "When they put
about next they'll reach right out into the Channel."

"Where's something white?" said Ezra excitedly. He dived into the cabin
and reappeared with a dirty table-cloth. "Stand up here, father!
Now keep on waving it! They may see you."

"I think as we are overhaulin' of them," remarked the boy.

"We're doing that," his father answered. "The question is, will we get
near enough to stop 'em afore they gets off on the next tack?"

The old merchant was standing in the bows waving the signal in the air.
His son sprang up beside him and flourished his handkerchief.
"They don't look more than half a mile off. Let us shout together."
The two blended their voices in a hoarse roar, which was taken up by the
boatman and his son. "Once again!" cried Ezra; and again their shout
resounded over the sea--a long-drawn cry it was, with a ring of despair
and of sorrow. Still the barque kept steadily on her way.

"If they don't go about we shall catch them," the fisherman said.
"If they keep on another five minutes we are right."

"Do you hear that?" Ezra cried to his father; and they both shouted with
new energy and waved their signals.

"They're goin' about," George burst in. "It's all up." Girdlestone
groaned as he saw the mainyard swing back. They all strained their
eyes, waiting for the other to follow. It remained stationary.

"They have seen us!" cried the fisherman. "They are waitin' to pick us
up!"

"Then we are saved!" said Ezra, stepping down and wiping the
perspiration which poured from his forehead. "Go down into the cabin,
father, and put yourself straight. You look like a ghost."

Captain Hamilton Miggs had found the liquor of the _Cock and Cowslip_ so
very much to his taste, in spite of its vitriolic peculiarities recorded
in a preceding chapter, that he rejoined his ship in a very shaky and
demoralized condition. He was a devout believer in the homoeopathic
revelation that like may be cured by like, so he forthwith proceeded to
set himself straight by the consumption of an unlimited quantity of
ship's rum. "What's the good of having a pilot aboard if I am to keep
sober?" he hiccou