“They’re taking no chances,” Biff said to Li. “We’ve got to be equally careful.”
Biff’s voice held a grim tone. The memory of the night before was still vivid in his mind. Li’s face was solemn, too, his round brown eyes serious.
“You’re the captain, Biff.”
Biff smiled. He didn’t want Li to become too alarmed.
“Okay, my friend. Let’s put out to sea. I can handle the mainsail and the jib. You stand by the tiller. We’ll hoist the mizzen after we’re heading out.”
Biff ran the mainsail up, leaped to the bow of the boat, and started hauling in the anchor on a hand winch. It took a lot of effort. The anchor was heavy, and he had to raise it thirty feet. The Easy Action, a spanking off-shore breeze in its sail, was already plowing through the sea before Biff had the anchor safely stowed.
Once the anchor was stowed, Biff went back to the cockpit.
“How’m I doing, Biff? Heading the right way?” Li asked.
“Point her a little more to the southwest. I’ll raise the mizzen.”
Biff finished his seaman’s job and dropped down in the cockpit beside Li for a breather.