The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 3 — page 182: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

566 THE MUTINY ON THE FLYING CLOUD. At length, however, when she had drifted about a mile, and had arrived within about a mile and three quarters of the contracted channel between the north and south bluffs which divided the inner from the outer basin, the steward cried out : ‘“They are after us, Mr. Wilson; I can see the flash of oars in the moon- light !’’ ‘“All right !’’ answered Ned, sending the wheel hard over with a spin, and leaying it to rush forward. ‘‘ Now, Price, aft with the starboard jib sheets, and belay them—not too flat, man; let them flow a bit—so, that’s well! Now tail on here to the halyards with me, and let us set the sail: Up with it! that’s your sort! Now take it under the belaying pin and let me browse it up. Yo-ho; ho-hip; ho-ho! Belay that ! Now, the main topmast stay-sail. Let go the down-haul ; that is it, that rope you have your hand on— cast it off! That’s right. Here are the sheets ; hook the clips into the ring bolt there close to the second gun. ‘That is all right. Now take a turn with the running part round that cleat! Capital! Now wait a moment.’’ The ship was by this time broadside on to the wind, and gathering head- way under the powerful influence of the jib, necessitating a hand at the wheel. Ned therefore ran aft, and, summoning the astonished Sibyl from her cabin, where she was making preparations for passing another night on board, he sent her to the wheel, with instructions how to act, but concealing from her for the present the fact that they were pursued. With the aid of the winch the two men succeeded in getting the main topmast staysail set, after which they hauled out the spanker.. They were now running for the passage between the two bluffs, with the wind over their starboard quarter, the ship in her best possible sailing trim, and going through the water at a speed of nearly three knots. This, however, was not fast enough to suit Ned, for, though they had secured a capital start, and he conjectured that the pursuers were too thor- oughly intoxicated to be capable of pulling a boat at any very great speed, he knew that at the southwestern extremity of the outer basin they would reach the most difficult part of their navigation. This consisted of a channel only half a mile in width by about a aiite and a quarter in length, bending to the southeast, where the ship would be almost completely becalmed under the high land. And it was here, if any- where, that he expected to be overtaken. So, without wasting time in ascertaining the whereabouts of the pursuing boat, he hurrie@gploft and cast off the lashing from the main topgallant stay- sail, and, sending the sheets down on deck, descended and helped Price to set the sail. ; CHAPTER XXXVIII.—TuHE Pursuit. NED. now had as much canvas upon the Flying Cloud as he believed he and the steward could conveniently manage for the present. He was, there- fore, compelled to content himself with making a tour of the decks and so trimming the sheets that the different sails set should draw to the utmost advantage. CORMicaoolks