"If that's the case, we can take a bigger load on the sloop," replied
the captain. "Pile 'em in."
"Will it be perfectly safe?" questioned the Chief Guardian.
"You can't sink her. The reason I didn't want a big crowd was that I
thought you would be going out a long way. We're likely to meet heavy
weather several miles outside. In that case a skipper wants plenty of
room to move about. Sometimes quick work is necessary, and--"
"I don't suppose that being a commodore will prevent my assisting in
sailing the boat, will it?" asked Harriet smilingly.
The skipper looked her over critically.
"I reckon we can make a sailor of you. Know anything about sailing?"
"No, sir."
"Yeth, she doeth," interjected Grace. "She wath the captain of the
'Red Rover' latht year."
"And sunk it," chuckled Crazy Jane.
"If you will tell me what to do, I shall be glad to start, Captain."
"All right. Get hold of that halyard and see if you can haul the sail
up," he answered, grinning mischievously. Captain Billy had not the
least idea that she possessed the strength to raise the sail. But
Harriet surprised him. She grasped the rope, and, though so light that
the weight of the sail nearly pulled her off her feet, she hauled it
slowly but steadily to the peak, then, throwing all her weight into
one hand and arm, made the halyard fast to a cleat on the deck.
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