“Seven-ana-half!”
Another jingling of little bells and the wheels ceased turning altogether. The whistling of the steam was something frightful now—it almost drowned all other noises.
“Stand by to meet her!”
George had the wheel hard down and was standing on a spoke.
“All ready!”
The boat hesitated—seemed to hold her breath, as did the captain and pilots—and then she began to fall away to starboard and every eye lighted:
“Now then!—meet her! meet her! Snatch her!”
The wheel flew to port so fast that the spokes blended into a spider-web—the swing of the boat subsided—she steadied herself——
“Seven feet!”
“Sev—six and a half!”