Strona 347 z 416

Schofield was honest with himself, and he waited until morning to

see if the great stacks of fish would not settle enough to allow

of another day's work to be crowded in. But when he saw that

space above the fish was very small he waited no longer.

Four men heaved on the windlass brakes, and the others got sail

on her as fast as they could haul halyards. She started under

jib, jumbo, fore and mains'l, with the wind a little on her port

quarter and every fiber of her yearning to go.

When the sails were apparently flat as boards Schofield made

Ellinwood rig pulleys leading to the middle of the halyards so

that the men could sway on them. She was fit as a racing yacht;

her load was perfectly distributed and she trimmed to a

hairbreadth.

An hour later they snored down upon the Night Hawk, the last

vessel at the edge of the fleet.