"They are going the wrong way to work," he carelessly remarked, as he turned to go home. "I could get her out in one day."
These words, from a man who was known to mean all he said, made an impression on a bystander, who reported them to the anxious agent of the Society. The agent called upon him.
"What did you mean, Captain, by saying that you could get out the ship in one day?"
"Just what I said."
"What will you get her out for?"
"One hundred dollars."
"I'll give it. When will you do it?"
"Have a steamer to-morrow, at twelve o'clock, ready to tow her out.
I'll have her clear in time."
That same evening, at six, he was on the spot with five men, three pine boards, and a small anchor. The difficulty was that beyond the ship there were two hundred yards of ice too thin to bear a man. The captain placed his anchor on one of his boards, and pushed it out as far as he could reach; then placed another board upon the ice, laid down upon it, and gave his anchor another push. Then he put down his third board, and used that as a means of propulsion. In this way he worked forward to near the edge of the thin ice, where the anchor broke through and sunk. With the line attached to it, he hauled a boat to the outer edge, and then began cutting a passage for the ship.
At eleven the next morning she was clear. At twelve she was towed into the stream.