"Good work," bellowed the skipper.
"I thought we'd got to Europe," shouted Tommy.
"Lay her to. I've got to close reef that sail," commanded the captain.
Harriet pointed the bow right into the teeth of the wind. Oh, how that
little craft did plunge! At times it seemed as if the greater part of
her length were wholly out of water, that she had taken a long,
quivering leap from the crest of one great wave to another. So hard
was she pitching that she had little time left in which to roll. Salt
spray rained down over the decks until the cabin itself was almost
wholly hidden from the view of the girl at the wheel. In the meantime
the captain had reefed the mainsail down to the last row.
"Now let her off a few points," he directed.
Boom!
"Oh, what was that?" cried Miss Elting, her voice barely heard in the
shriek of the gale. "What happened?"
"Jib gone by the board," shouted the captain. "Lucky if we don't lose
the mainsail the same way."
Harriet had not uttered a sound when the startling report had boomed
out above the roar of the storm, but her heart had seemed to leap into
her throat. Her arms had grown numb under the strain of holding the
wheel, for the sea was hurling its tremendous force against the craft,
requiring great effort on the part of the helmswoman to keep the boat
on its course.
Pages:
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218