ollowing spring and summer
to such purpose that before the end of July the foundations began to
show above high-water neaps, and in September he was able to report
that the building could be pushed forward in any ordinary weather.
The workmen were carried to and from the mainland by a wire hawser
and cradle, and the rising breastwork of masonry protected them from
the beat of the sea. Progress was slow, for each separate stone had
to be dovetailed above, below, and on all sides with the blocks
adjoining it, besides being cemented; and care to be taken that no
salt mingled with the fresh water, or found its way into the joints
of the building. Taffy studied the barometer hour by hour, and kept
a constant look-out to windward against sudden gales.

On November 16th the men had finished their dinner, and sat smoking
under the lee of the wall, when Taffy, with his pocket-aneroid in his
hand, gave the order to snug down and man the cradle for shore.
They stared. The morning had been a halcyon one; and the northerly
breeze, which had sprung up with the turn of the tide and was
freshening, carried no cloud across the sky. Two vessels,
abrigantine and a three-masted schooner, were merrily reaching
down-channel before it, the brigantine leading; at two miles'
distance they could see distinctly the white foam running from her
bluff bows, and her forward deck from bulwark to bulwark as she
heeled to it.

One or two grumbled. Half a day's work meant half a day's pay to
them. It was all very well for the Cap'n, who drew his by the week.

"Come, look alive!" Taffy called sharply. He pinned his faith to
the barometer, and as he shut it in its case he glanced at the
brigantine and saw that her crew were busy with the braces,
flattening the forward canvas. "See there, boys. There'll be a gale
from the west'ard before night."

For a minute the brigantine seemed to have run into a calm.
The schooner, half a mile behind her, came reaching along steadily.

"That there two-master's got a fool for a skipper," grumbled a voice.
But almost at the moment the wind took her right aback--or would have
done so had the crew not been preparing for it. Her stern swung
slowly around into view, and within two minutes she was fetching away
from them on the port tack, her sails hauled closer and closer as she
went. Already the schooner was preparing to follow suit.

"Snug down, boys! We must be out of this in half an hour."

And sure