"Give her another turn and let me hear," he said, and he went to the mainmast.
Now the engine turned over at a twist of her wrist.
"Avast!" called Paul at the sound of the dry plungers.
The engine stopped instantly at the word of command. "We're all right, Emily. That water must have pounded through the fore hatch."
She met him with a laugh of sheer joy which made her even white teeth gleam. It was joy at the lifting of the cloud which had fallen upon both of them at the discovery that the Daphne might have sprung a leak. It was joy, too, that comprehended an ability to do things with her hands.
"I think I should rather be engineer than mate, Paul. It is a lot of fun making this engine go and stop."
"You will have an opportunity to be mate, engineer, and midshipmite in another couple of hours. We are going to have a bit of a moon to-night and I am going to get as much sail bent as possible."
Under the stimulation of some strong coffee they began immediately afterward to bend sail. With the donkey engine's aid it seemed ridiculously easy to snake the heavy rolls of canvas out of the sail room and hoist them aloft. Emily, with a woman's natural quickness, had the trick of using the hoisting drums in perfect control five minutes after Paul explained it to her. It did not surprise him nor was this so because of any personal reason. She thought when he told her that she was as good a working force as any two sailors and better than as many men landlubbers, that it was but an impulse of his natural kindness cheering her.
"Not a bit taffy, dear," said he, noting her doubt. "Every word true. Only thing a woman lacks is bull strength and perhaps judgment in personal matters."
The gold woman laughed.