e only sounds audible were
the rippling splash of the water alongside, the melancholy sough of the
wind, and the faint _chirr_ of insects ashore which the breeze brought
off to us on its invisible wings.

As the tide made so the schooner continued imperceptibly to right
herself, and at length she was so nearly upright that I thought we might
set about the attempt to get her afloat. The wind, being now off-shore,
was in our favour, as the deepest water was to leeward or to seaward of
us, and the canvas, had I dared to set it, would have materially
assisted us; but I did not care to set it, as, once off the bank, we
should have perforce to remain at anchor where we were until morning,
any attempt at navigating those shallows in darkness being the most
utter madness. I therefore left the canvas stowed, resolving to seek
its aid only as a last resort, and in the event of all other means
failing, and ordered the messenger to be passed and the capstan manned.
The anchor was already laid out to leeward, so the slack of the cable
was soon hove in, and a steady strain brought to bear upon it, after
which came the tug of war. The capstan bars were now fully manned; the
tars pressed their broad chests against the powerful levers, planted
their feet firmly upon the deck, straightened out their backs, and
slowly pawl after pawl was gained until the schooner was once more
heeling over on her bilge, this time, however, in consequence of the
intense strain upon her cable.

"That's your sort, my hearties," exclaimed the boatswain encouragingly,
as he applied his tremendous strength to the outer extremity of one of
the bars, "heave with a will! heave, and she _must_ come! _heave_, all
of us!! now--one--_two_--three!!!"

The men strained at the bars until it seemed as though they would burst
their very sinews; another reluctant click or two of the pawl showed
that something was at length yielding; and then, first with a slow jerky
motion which quickened rapidly, and ended in a mighty surge as the men
drove the capstan irresistibly round, the bows of the schooner swerved
to seaward, the vessel herself righted, hung for a moment, and then
glided off the tail of the bank, finally swinging to her anchor, afloat
once more.

"Well done, lads!" I exclaimed joyously, for it was a great relief to
me to have the schooner afloat again--a sailor feels just as much out of
his element in a stranded ship as he does when he personally is on
_ter