mainsail, already!"

Sure enough, Daggett appeared more disposed to trust to his canvass, than
to his ground-tackle. In a very brief space of time he had his craft under
whole sail, and was struggling, in the puffs, to claw off the land.
Presently, the wind ceased altogether, the canvass flapping so as to be
audible to Gardiner and his companions, at the distance of half a mile.
Then, the cloth was distended in the opposite direction, and the wind came
off the land. The schooner's head was instantly brought to meet the seas,
and the lead dropped at her side showed that she was moving in the right
direction. These sudden changes, sometimes destructive, and sometimes
providential as acts of mercy, always bring strong counter-currents of air
in their train.

"Now we shall have it!" said Hazard--"a true nor'wester, and butt-end
foremost!"

This opinion very accurately described that which followed. In ten minutes
it was blowing heavily, in a direction nearly opposite to that which had
been the previous current of the wind. As a matter of course, the Sea Lion
of the Vineyard drew off the land, wallowing through the meeting billows
that still came rolling in from the broad Atlantic; while the Sea Lion of
Oyster Pond tended to the new currents of air, and rode, as it might be,
suspended between the two opposing forces, with little or no strain on her
cables. Gardiner expected to see his consort stand out to sea, and gain an
offing; but, instead of this, Captain Daggett brought his schooner quite
near to the disabled vessel, and anchored. This act of neighbourly
kindness was too unequivocal to require explanation. It was the intention
of the Vineyard men to lie by their consort until she was relieved from
all apprehensions of danger. The 'butt-end' of the 'nor'-wester' was too
large to admit of intercourse until next morning, when that which had been
a small gale had dwindled to a good steady breeze, and the seas had gone
down, leaving comparatively smooth water all along the coast. The line of
white water which marked the breakers was there, and quite visible; but it
no longer excited apprehension. The jury-masts on board the disabled craft
were got up, and what was very convenient, just at that moment, the wreck
came floating out on the ebb, so near to her as to enable the boats to
secure all the sails and most of the rigging. The main-boom, too, an
excellent spar, was towed alongside and saved.

Chapter X.