"Ship, ahoy!" shouted the first lieutenant through his trumpet, as the Young America rolled slowly along under the stern of the wreck.
"Ship, ahoy!" replied a voice from the deck of the wreck. "We are in a sinking condition! Will you take us off?"
"Ay, ay!" cried Haven, with right good will.
"You will heave to the ship, Mr. Haven," said the captain, when she had passed a short distance beyond the wreck.
"Man the jib and flying-jib halyards and down-hauls," said the first lieutenant.
"All ready forward, sir," replied the second lieutenant, on the forecastle.
"Stand by the maintop bowline! Cast off! Man the main braces!"
"Let go the jib and flying-jib halyards! Haul down!" And the jibs were taken in.
"Slack off the lee braces! Haul on the weather braces!"
The main-topsail and top-gallant were thus thrown aback, and the Young America was hove to, in order to enable her people to perform their humane mission.