the
capstan-pawls, we hurried out on deck, and put our hands upon the bars,
intending to join in that last heave which should bring the ship free out
of her long captivity, and so for a time we moved round about the
capstan, and I glanced at the girl beside me; for she had become very
solemn, and indeed it was a strange and solemn time for her; for she, who
had dreamed of the world as her childish eyes had seen it, was now, after
many hopeless years, to go forth once more to it--to live in it, and to
learn how much had been dreams, and how much real; and with all these
thoughts I credited her; for they seemed such as would have come to me at
such a time, and, presently, I made some blundering effort to show to
her that I had understanding of the tumult which possessed her, and at
that she smiled up at me with a sudden queer flash of sadness and
merriment, and our glances met, and I saw something in hers, which was
but newborn, and though I was but a young man, my heart interpreted it
for me, and I was all hot suddenly with the pain and sweet delight of
this new thing; for I had not dared to think upon that which already my
heart had made bold to whisper to me, so that even thus soon I was
miserable out of her presence. Then she looked downward at her hands upon
the bar; and, in the same instant, there came a loud, abrupt cry from the
second mate, to vast heaving, and at that all the men pulled out their
bars and cast them upon the deck, and ran, shouting, to the ladder that
led to the look-out, and we followed, and so came to the top, and
discovered that at last the ship was clear of the weed, and floating in
the open water between it and the island.

Now at the discovery that the hulk was free, the men commenced to cheer
and shout in a very wild fashion, as, indeed, is no cause for wonder, and
we cheered with them. Then, suddenly, in the midst of our shouting,
Mistress Madison plucked me by the sleeve and pointed to the end of the
island where the foot of the bigger hill jutted out in a great spur, and
now I perceived a boat, coming round into view, and in another moment I
saw that the bo'sun stood in the stern, steering; thus I knew that he
must have finished repairing her whilst I had been on the hulk. By this,
the men about us had discovered the nearness of the boat, and commenced
shouting afresh, and they ran down, and to the bows of the vessel, and
got ready a rope to cast. Now when the boat came near, the men in