'Do you mean by a Hamburger a Hamburg ship?' asked Helga.
'Yes, lady, that's right,' answered Abraham.
'Then she's bound to Hamburg,' said the girl.
'Ask yourself the question,' answered Abraham—which is the Deal boatmen's way of saying yes.
She looked at me.
'It will be all the same,' said I, interpreting the glance; 'England is but over the way from Hamburg. Let us be homeward-bound, in any case. We have made southing enough, Helga.'
'Tommy!' sung out Abraham, 'give that there Jack another flourish, will ye?'
The man did so, with many strange contortions of his powerful frame, and then put down the pole and returned to the stove.
'There don't seem much life aboard of her,' said Jacob, eying the barque. 'I can only count wan head ower the fo'k'sle rail.'
'Down hellum, Jacob!' bawled Abraham, and as he said the words he let go the fore-halliards, and down came the sail.