For a couple of days both vessels were busily employed in shipping the last of their stores; and during that interval Jack received a long letter from home, in which his father hoped he was well, but said that some anxiety was aroused by the lengthened voyage of the 'Alert.' An explanatory letter was immediately despatched.
The rival clipper, 'Flying Scud' sailed first, and with canvas mounting from the rails to the moonsail yard made a fine show. The long black hull was relieved by a strip of painted ports, and careening gracefully she sped quickly out of the bay.
'Mark her time to the offing, Sennit!' the old man exclaimed; 'that will give us a fair idea of her speed. I take notice that they haven't sent a rope-yarn of stu'n's'l gear aloft yet. Perhaps she doesn't carry any. The younger skippers say it doesn't compensate for the cost and trouble.'
'We'll show them that this voyage, sir,' the mate said. 'I begin to think we have a good chance of getting the prize.'
'Chance! I'll smash her, Sennit.'
Owing to some mistake about the nationality of the 'black-birding' schooner, the 'Ocean Glory' was detained till nearly sundown, but when the chief officer sang out to man the windlass all hands rushed to the levers. The cable came in with a rattle, and across the beautiful bay went the chanty:
'The breeze is from the east-south-east,
And she can sail ten knots at least.
Our officers we will obey,
So now to grog, my lads, I say.
For we are homeward-bound, my boys,
We are homeward-bound.'
'Cable's hove short, sir,' Mr. Fortune, the mate, sang out.
The youngsters at the main capstan 'pawled' it. The hands, knowing what would follow, left the forecastle-head.
'Loose all canvas fore and aft,' the skipper sang out.