صفحة 312 من 416

"Yes, I can. Nat expected me to sail the May in a race, so he

weakened my topm'st and mainstay. Of course, when there is sport

in it you set every kite you've got in your lockers and, you

know, Elsa, I never took my mains'l in yet while there was one

standing in the fleet, even ordinary fishing days."

"I know it; you've scared me half to death a dozen times with

your sail-carrying."

"And mind, Elsa, I'd been warned by all the wiseacres in Freekirk

Head that my sticks would carry away sometime in a gale o' wind.

Nat banked on that, too, and it shows how clever he was, forever

since the May sank I've had men tell me I shouldn't have carried

four lowers that day.