“I hope I shan’t disappoint you, sir,” was the reply.
“Got all your guns and ammunition, squire?” cried the captain.
“Yes, quite right.”
“And fishing-tackle and bait and everything else you will need?”
“Yes; I believe we have taken everything aboard,” was the reply.
“I’ll tell the cook to have a good fire made up in the galley for roasting the ducks you are going to shoot and the frying-pan ready for the fish you are going to catch.”
“All right,” cried Brace merrily. “Ready, Mr Lynton?”
“Ay, ay, sir.”
“Then push off.”
The man holding on with the boat-hook gave a good thrust, and the boat glided away from the brig’s side with the swift stream, which rolled over the sandbank, caught the boat, and whirled her away. But the little mast was already up forward and the rudder hooked on, so that when the lug-sail had been hoisted and had bellied out, the boat, answering quickly to a touch of the tiller, glided through the water, soon recovering the ground she had lost, and, careening over, swept by the motionless brig, whose sails were now furled.