CHAPTER VII
Under Way for Marblehead
Immediately after reveille next morning, the boys were surprised to hear the boatswain’s call followed by the command to “stand by to set sail.” The boatswain’s mates “got busy” very quickly and could be seen sending their boys to different parts of the deck,—some to the bowsprit to remove the jib stops, some to the fore boom to release the foresail, and the others to the parts of the ship to which they belonged.
After the fore and main sails had been set, all hands were ordered forward to the windlass and began hauling up the anchor. It was hot work, and there was not room enough for all the boys to get on to the job at the same time; but Dick managed to get on among the first, while Tom and Chippie were in the outside ring who stood ready to jump in and “spell” their comrades. Then,—after the anchor had been broken from the ground,—came the manning of the halyards,—first the main, then the fore, and then the jumbo and the jib halyards.
As the head sails ran up, they were filled by a light northwest breeze which somewhat tempered the heat. The night had been very warm, and the boys were all glad to get up on deck and very much interested in the prospect of sailing; the reef-points beat a cheerful tattoo on the canvas, as it quietly slatted back and forth, while the ship’s bow headed westward to pass through the gut into the outer harbor. Once outside, she settled down to a long leg on the port tack, and then the anchor was hoisted up and lifted over the rail.
While this was going on, Jack Perkins was active in seeing that the boatswain’s orders were carried out. The mate stood on the quarter-deck giving his commands, while the boatswain repeated them forward with the musical accompaniment of his call. Jack not only had his own division to look after, but it was his business also to see that the other B. M.’s were on their jobs, and that every scout of every division was doing his allotted work.
This was the first time that the crew had performed this particular manœuvre, and it was not surprising that there was a hitch here and there. Some small boys would stand looking on while the others were hauling on the halyards, but on inquiry it was found that they were under the impression that only the “huskies” were considered worthy of this work. This idea was quickly dispelled, however; and, before the mainsail was finally set, every available boy was on the halyards, each one contributing his share of the pull, however small it might be. Other boys who hesitated were mostly green hands who had not caught the spirit of acting together, while one of the little fellows was found in the jib-net admiring the view, and another curled up on the day bunk reading a book. Altogether it was a good opportunity for Mr. Miller to distinguish the wool-gatherers from the workers, but he felt sure that it was only practice that was needed to get this crew pulling together in true and shipshape style.
By this time it was 7:45, and there was just time to scrub decks and then wash up before breakfast. It was a pleasant thing to hear the trill of the boatswain’s call as the mess cooks scrambled down to set the tables; and better still to sit down to breakfast after the early morning’s work.
The breeze was not strong but held out steadily while the routine work was going on, and also through “quarters” and “mast.” At “quarters” the “lucky bag” was brought out for the first time and was found to contain a jumper, a couple of towels, and a lanyard and knife. Mr. Miller explained the principle of the “lucky bag” as follows:
“The master-at-arms will pick up everything that he finds lying about the decks and put it in the ‘lucky bag’; they may remain in the bag at the discretion of the sea scout master until he decides to open it at ‘quarters.’ At this time articles lost may be claimed by those who have missed them, but a penalty may be imposed upon the owner before the lost article is returned to him. As this is the first time the ‘lucky bag’ has been opened on this cruise, no penalties will be exacted on the return of these articles. The Sea Scouts are warned that in the future they will be expected to be shipshape in their habits, and that articles left carelessly lying about will not be returned to their owners until due penalty in the shape of extra duty has been paid.
“But there is another matter to which I must call your attention at the present time. It is one thing to approve of discipline in theory and quite another to submit to it in practice. Most of you boys are familiar with stories of good seamanship, but very few of you have ever experienced before this cruise the training which made such seamanship possible. Almost everybody is naturally lazy, and doing things on time is irksome and disagreeable to lazy people. ‘Oh, I guess to-morrow’ll do as well’, or ‘All right, I’ll be there in a few minutes’—these are the common expressions of lazy lubbers who have not yet learnt to like the promptness and alertness which good seamanship requires. I warn you boys of this now, at the beginning of the cruise, because I know the temptation comes to almost every one, and you might as well give up the idea of being Sea Scouts unless you are morally strong enough to clear all such lazy stuff out of the way. Orders must be carried out on the run and on the jump, and there is no room for a grouch on board of this ship.