The watch below tumbled up.
"Take the royals and topgallant sails off her, Mr. Probert. Double reef the topsails, and get in the courses."
Bob watched the men as they worked aloft, and marvelled at the seeming carelessness with which they hung on, where the slip of a foot or hand would mean sudden death; and wondered whether he could ever attain such steadiness of head. Three quarters of an hour's hard work and the mast was stripped, save for the reduced topsails.
"Get in two of the jibs, and brail up the spanker."
This was short work. When it was done the second mate, who had been working forward, looked to the captain for further orders. The latter had again gone below, but was now standing on the poop, talking earnestly with the first mate.
"Yes, I think you are right," Bob heard the captain say. "The glass is still falling and, very likely, it will be some time before we want these light spars again. There is nothing like being snug."
"Aloft again, lads!" the mate sung out, "and send down the yards and topgallant masts."
"Now she is ready for anything," the captain said, when the men again descended to the deck.
Bob, who had been so intently watching the men that he had not looked round at the sky, since they first went aloft, now had time to do so; and was startled with the change that had come over the sea, and sky. There was not a breath of wind. There was a dull, oily look on the water, as it heaved in long, regular waves, unbroken by the slightest ripple. Black clouds had banked up from the southwest, and extended in a heavy arch across the sky, but little ahead of the brig. From its edge ragged, fragments seemed to break off suddenly, and fly out ahead.
"It is going to blow, and no mistake," the captain said. "It is lucky that we have had plenty of time to get her into fighting trim.