"What are you going to do, Dory?" asked Thad. "I have the ropes in my hands."
"I am going to take in the mainsail. That will ease her off; and I can work her before it with the jib alone."
At this moment a tremendous gust struck the mainsail, and Dory crowded the helm down; but the schooner took in a large quantity of water over the lee side as she careened.
"Let go the halyards, Thad!" shouted the skipper as the boat swept around. "Look out for the sail, all of you!"
But the sail did not readily come down, the pressure upon it causing it to bind. But Dory continued to luff until it was released.
"Haul down the sail lively!" called Dory with energy, when the canvas began to thrash and beat about as though it was bound to tear itself into shreds.
Under the direction of the skipper the sail was secured after a great deal of difficulty. Dory let her off again under the jib alone. This proved to be a decided change for the better. The Goldwing kept on a tolerably even keel, and drove ahead almost as fast as she did before.
"She's doing a good deal better," said Thad, who began to breathe freer than he had since the boat went into the worst of it. "Why didn't we do that before?"
"Because we were trying to keep out of the way of the Missisquoi before," replied Dory.
But it was not baby play, even with nothing but the jib set. The mainsail had steadied the boat to some extent; but now she began to roll tremendously, and was not so readily controlled by the helm. The waves broke over her on the weather side, but she did not scoop up the water on the lee side.