When Dick Sand, at Captain Hull's signal, had steered toward the scene of the catastrophe, the "Pilgrim" only carried her jibs, her brigantine, her foresail, and her top-sail. To get the ship under way as quickly as possible, the novice had only to make use of, that is, to counter-brace, the foresail. The blacks had easily helped him in that maneuver.
The question now was to get under full sail, and, to complete the sails, to hoist the top-sails, the royal, the fore-staff, and the stay-sails.
"My friends," said the novice to the five blacks, "do as I tell you, and all will go right."
Dick Sand was standing at the wheel of the helm.
"Go!" cried he. "Tom, let go that rope quickly!"
"Let go?" said Tom, who did not understand that expression.
"Yes, loosen it! Now you, Bat—the same thing! Good! Heave—haul taut.
Let us see, pull it in!"
"Like that?" said Bat.
"Yes, like that. Very good. Come, Hercules—strong. A good pull there!"
To say "strong" to Hercules was, perhaps, imprudent. The giant of course gave a pull that brought down the rope.