"Ay, ay, sir!"
"Now, Tom, I have looked carefully at the chart, and I know this harbor well; but the wind is so scant, that I am afraid that we shall not be able to lie by Rouse's Point without going about; and I had rather do it now than when we get farther down, and nearer to the point, for there are some bad rocks make off: so I think that we will go about to make all sure.
"Ready about!
"Come aft, Bob, and tend the lee jib-sheet!—And you look out for the weather one, Tom! All ready! Hard a-lee! Let go the jib-sheet! Avast hauling, Tom: you are too quick!—Trim down, Bob!—Now let draw, and trim down flat, Tom, and belay! There, she begins to trot again! We can't stand very far in this direction; for we are crossing the channel at about right angles, and it is not more than a mile and a half wide hereabouts; and I don't want to be picked up by any of these flats on an ebb tide, and don't mean to; and yet I want to stand over just as far as I can, so as to clear Rouse's Point on the next tack. There comes the daylight at last! Is it not a beautiful sight, Tom?—Come, Bob, jump below, and get up the hand lead, and give us a few casts from the weather-rigging.
"Are you all ready?"
"Ay, ay, sir!"
"Then cast."
Bob.—And a quarter less five.
"That is plenty of water; isn't it, Tom? But then you can't be too careful, and there is nothing like the lead. We only draw eight feet and a half with the centre-board down, and only three and a half with it up: so we have little to fear yet. Keep casting, Bob!"
Bob.—By the deep, four!