[The reef is shaken out, and the yacht again kept away.]
"There, Tom! see how she runs away from those large seas, now! No more danger of their coming on board again.
"You see, the tide was against us, and the wind astern; and the 'Nancy' moved too slowly forward to escape those big fellows. This is one of the times that it is good seamanship to clap on more sail, although the sea is getting up. If we should haul on a wind now, we should need two reefs in; but, running before it, she is doing very well.
"There is the headland that we shall have to leave on the port side. Do you see it, Tom? We shall have to jibe before we can run in, and that is a manœuvre that must be nicely executed in such a sea-way as this. But we shall execute it all right, as you shall see.
"Lay aft here, Bob, and stand by the peak-halliards! Let go! That will do. Belay! Now clap on this main-sheet, and get it aft, steadily. Round it in!
"Keep a good turn at the cleat! Don't let the boom get away with you! Now slack the lee jib-sheet off, so that the jib can work itself. Now look out for the jerk when the boom goes over, and stand by to slack the sheet at once. Handsomely done! Slack away the main-sheet! Belay! There, that is a good job! Up with the peak! Belay!
"Go forward, Bob, and stock the second anchor; and bend on the cable, and have it all ready for anchoring; for we shall not find very much lee in this harbor till the wind shifts. But there is good holding-ground, and we shall be all right.
"As soon as we pass that lighthouse, Tom, and get in the bight of the bay you see ahead on the starboard side, I shall round her to, and let go the anchors. There are two fishermen at anchor there now. Do you see them?"
"Yes, uncle, I see them; and they seem to be laboring pretty heavy."
"Yes. That is because they are loaded deep; but we shall ride like a bird.