did not hear, and I crept on and upward on my chest, nipping the
yard well with my knees, and clinging with my hands. It was hard and
awkward work, for I had to pass the blocks and ropes which hoisted it
up, and it swung inboard and out as the wind pressed upon the great
bellying canvas, curving down below me to the great boom which ran out
and over the steersman's head some feet above the stern-rail.

Still I climbed on and over the cords which laced the rail to the yard,
and at last clung there, holding on for dear life, having reached the
end with my hands, and grasping the top corner of the great sail edged
with stout rope.

"Now Bob Hampton will hear me," I thought, and I stopped to think what I
should do next. But not for long. Nipping the yard well with my knees,
I passed the hank of line over my head, unfastened one end, and tied it
securely round the top of the yard before letting the coils slide down
inside the hollow curve of the sail, knowing that they would come apart
as they glided down the stiff strong canvas. This done, I hesitated for
a few moments before trusting myself to descend; but drawing a long
breath at last, I took a good grip of the line with my left hand, of the
rope-edge of the sail with the other, and began to slide down, keeping
my chest as near as I could to the canvas.

This was terrible at first, for the upper part of the sail was a long
way on toward being perpendicular, and I had to cling tightly to save
myself from coming down with a run; but every foot after the first ten
grew easier, so that I lay at last well on the great curve, and glided
down almost in silence, only having to grip rope and line hard enough to
keep a little check upon my descent. I followed the edge of the sail
right away out over the sea, to where it was secured to the large
horizontal projecting boom, and here my feet rested as I held on and
looked inboard from where I insecurely stood, faintly making out the
figure of Bob Hampton, who was in perfect ignorance of my descent,
though how it was he did not hear the rustling I cannot make out, unless
he was asleep--though he never would own to it in after days.

A doubly dangerous position I seemed to be in, though nothing to a
sailor; still, in spite of my desperation, I felt nervous and strange as
I now seated myself astride of the great boom riding up and down, and
hauling up the line to find how much there was free.

Plenty to use double; and reaching