“Here’s the way it works,” he said. “I’m using the rudder like a single stern paddle. Lots of boats in the old days used to be run like that. If the paddle’s properly shaped, it will do a good job of propelling a boat. They call a long stern oar a sweep, and it’s good enough so that it’s still used on heavy barges in lots of places around the world.”
“Won’t it just push the stern around from one side to the other?” Sandy asked.
“Not if you do it carefully,” Jerry replied. “What I’m doing is this: I ease the rudder to one side, slowly, so as not to row with it. Then I give it a strong pull toward me—like this—and then I shove it halfway back.”
As he spoke, he hauled on the rudder, and the stern of the sloop swung around a bit, but the return motion of the rudder stopped the swinging action and steadied the sloop on her course. Sandy saw small ripples form a wake behind the boat as some forward motion was gained. As Jerry repeated the gentling, pulling and returning of the rudder, the sloop gained a little more forward speed. Slowly, the rusted sides of the black freighter slid by them.
“So far, so good,” Sandy said. “If we keep this up, we’ll be able to get away before we’re spotted.”
“I hope so,” Jerry agreed fervently, pulling strongly on his improvised sweep. By now the sloop was some thirty feet or more away from the freighter, and heading past the overhanging stern of the big ship. Suddenly, the stillness of the night was shattered by a roar and clank of machinery.
“It’s the windlass!” Jerry cried. “They’re getting ready to haul up the anchor! Jones must be ready to go over to his boat!”
Even as he spoke, a flare of work lights came up over the freighter’s afterdeck, clearly showing Jones and the Captain standing by the head of the rope ladder, flanked by Turk and Bull. The Captain and Jones were shaking hands, apparently having concluded a deal on the counterfeit cargo that pleased them both. Neither of them had as yet looked over the side to see that one of the sloops was missing.
“We can’t chance this any more,” Jerry said. “We’re bound to be discovered in another minute, when Jones starts over the ladder! Let’s get those sails up now, and do the best we can!”
“You’re right,” Sandy agreed, swiftly leaping atop the cabin roof to reach the main halyards. Taking a deep breath, he hauled. With a screech, the slides moved stiffly up the track, and the mainsail fluttered overhead.