Leaving the schooner in charge of the mate, the old man immediately acted on the advice; and on explaining how the 'Alert' was lost, and his connection with the firm owning the captainless ship, he was directed to take charge of her, and get ready for sea as quickly as possible.
'I must tell you, sir,' the agent added, 'that another vessel is on the point of sailing for England. She is a well-known clipper, and as your predecessor challenged her for a great race home, much excitement has been aroused here, and everyone hopes that you will do your utmost to win the prize of five thousand dollars for the first arrival at Stonewell, where both ships call for orders.'
'Well, sir,' the captain cheerily replied, 'since you are intrusting me with such a pleasing and exciting task, all I can say is, that every fathom of speed to be got out of our vessel shall be strictly reeled-off. Leave the matter with me.'
He immediately returned to the schooner, packed what clothing had been saved from the wreck of the 'Alert,' and in charge of Jack Clewlin he also sent his chronometers, charts, and other navigating gear on board the new ship.
When Jack there learned that she was bound to Stonewell for orders his joy knew no bounds. But parting from Readyman and all those with whom he had been so long associated would prove a painful matter, since, of course, he knew that he must follow Captain Thorne. But even those troubles were speedily dispelled.
Nearly half the crew of the 'Ocean Glory,' as the ship was named, had been induced to desert, for the sake of high wages ashore; their places were, however, immediately filled by his old comrades, while the mate and Mr. Statten accepted passages home as third and fourth officers. Thus all the friends were enabled to meet again on the new craft, which was a splendid clipper of nineteen hundred tons, and in every respect likely to prove both comfortable and speedy. She was as finely modelled and more loftily sparred than the 'Silver Crown,' and Jack looked knowingly at her three standing skysail and main moonsail yards, above the royals. With so strong a crew ready to 'put her through' on the run home, it soon became evident that she would more than hold her own, and her supporters became correspondingly jubilant of success.
To be quite fair, however, there was no doubt that her rival would prove a formidable foe. She was also beautifully designed, was slightly larger and longer than her opponent, with wedge-like bow, clean run, and she also carried several sails above the royals. Both ships were 'like spick and span pins,' as sailors say, and each had all her canvas 'bent.'
'Well, she looks a clipper every inch, Sennit,' the skipper observed. 'All the same, though, if you and I cannot put our charge through several days ahead, things must have changed since we met.'
'That's so, sir,' the mate replied. 'Some believe we have no chance, but that's all bluff. The others, however, know their ship, and we've to discover everything for ourselves.'
'We'll smash her, Sennit'