"Down, sir," responded the quartermaster at the wheel.
"Up mainsail! Brace her aback!"
The ship rounded up into the wind, the main topsail swung round, and in a few moments the headway of the vessel was checked.
"Mr. Scott, in charge of the second cutter!" continued the first lieutenant.
Scott leaped lightly into the boat.
"Lower away!" said Cantwell, as soon as it was prudent to drop the boat into the water.
"Up oars!" shouted Clyde Blacklock, the new coxswain, proud and happy to have a real duty to perform. "Let fall! Give way together!" And away went the second cutter over the waves towards the stranded steamer.
Mr. Lowington thought it best to send another boat, and the first cutter, pulling twelve oars, was despatched, in charge of Sheridan. The second cutter was far ahead of her, and was the first to reach the unfortunate vessel, which proved to be one of the mail steamers from Stockholm. She had run her bow hard on a sand-bank, and then toppled over on her starboard side, her stern nearly submerged in the deep water.
"Way enough!" said Clyde, as the cutter approached her gangway.
Scott stood behind the bowman, ready to step on board as soon as the boat was secured.