"Go below, sir!" shouted Captain John to the unhappy man.
"Is it safe?" asked Mr. Randall.
"Safe enough."
"Won't she sink?"
"Sink? no; she can't sink," replied the skipper. "The wu'st on't's over now."
The fury of the squall was spent in a moment, and then the fury of Captain John began to gather, as he saw the remnants of the sail flapping at the gaff and the boom. The Missisque and her cargo were safe, and not a single one of the precious lives of her crew had been sacrificed; but the skipper was as dissatisfied as the skipper of a lake sloop could be; more so, probably, than if the vessel had gone to the bottom, and left him clinging for life to a lone spar on the angry waters, for men are often more reasonable under great than under small misfortunes.
"Why didn't you let go that throat-halyard?" said he, as he walked forward to where the young pilot stood.
"I did," replied Lawry quietly.
"You did! What was the use of lettin' it go after the squall had split the sail? Why didn't you do it sooner?"
"I did it as soon as I saw the squall coming down on us."