“Oh! yes,” exclaimed the child, trying to look bright, “and we won’t be very long of coming back again.”
“You’ll never come back again,” thought the captain, and he sighed very slightly as the thought passed through his brain.
“Look alive there, lads,” exclaimed the pilot, as the tug sheared away.
Soon the anchor was at the bows, the sails were shaken out, and the Swordfish began her voyage.
“There’s not a piece of spare rope aboard, sir,” said the first mate, coming up to the captain with a blank look; “we can’t even get enough to cat and fish the anchor.”
“You can unreeve the tops’l halyards,” replied the captain, quietly.
This was done, and the anchor was secured therewith.
“How much water in the hold?” asked the captain.
“Three feet, sir; the carpenter has just sounded. It seems that the riggers were at work on the pumps when we came out in the tug, but were stopped by the agents before we got alongside. I fear she is very leaky, sir,” said the mate.
“I know she is,” replied the captain; “keep the men at the pumps.”