m below and joined us.

"I'd like to get that foremast aboard while it holds calm," said he; "and
if you'll start the men, we'll have it done by noon. The sooner we all
work together, the better. We ought to get sail on forward in less than a
week, and then, with a jury topmast, make enough way to get in while the
grub holds out."

The steward got breakfast in the after-cabin, and as soon as the men had
eaten they were turned to rigging tackles to hoist the dragging foremast
aboard. It was trailing by the lee rigging, which had held, and it had
thumped and pounded along the ship's side to such an extent during the
blow that several of her strakes were nearly punched through. It was a
beautiful morning,--the blue sky overhead and the calm, blue ocean all
around us. The men worked well, and even the sour ruffian, Andrews, who
stood near and took charge of part of the work,--for he was an expert
sailor,--seemed to brighten under the sun's influence. Chips went to work
at the stump of the foremast, and cut well into it at a point almost
level with the deck. This he fashioned into a scarf-joint for a
corresponding cut in the piece of mast which had gone overboard. Tackles
were rigged from the main-topmast head, and, by a careful bracing with
guys forward and at both sides, the wreck of the foremast was slowly
raised aboard.

The _Sovereign_ forged ahead faster when relieved of this load. On the
second day, when we had the foremast fished, and the yards, which had
held to it, safe on deck, ready to be hoisted and slung again, we found
that the vessel had made over seventy miles to the westward along the
thirty-eighth parallel. This was over a mile an hour; but of course some
of this drift was due to the edge of the Agullas current, which was
setting somewhat to the southward and westward.

Andrews had little to say to me or to Chips. In fact, he appeared to be
satisfied with his lot now that he seemed sure of getting salvage money.
Only Jim, who seemed to have eyes everywhere, distrusted the man, and
spoke to me about him. We had now been on the wreck five days, working
and rigging away at the foremast, and the calm, beautiful weather held
with no signs of a change. Jim was hanging over the side, resting his
feet on the fore channels while he helped Chips to bolt in a deadeye
which had been torn out when the mast had gone. The sun was warm and
shone brilliantly, and Chips sweated and grunted as he pounded away at
the iron