Ralph, having seated himself on the
step between the quarter and the main decks, had at last fallen into a
doze, with his head against the bulwarks.
Captain Gary came up, cast a look about and then consulted his watch.
"We might as well make sail, Mr. Duff," said he in a low tone. "Call
all hands."
Then he returned to the cabin. A moment later Bludson's shrill whistle
aroused Ralph with a start.
The deck became alive with moving figures in answer to the boatswain's
hoarse summons.
"Hoist away with a will, men. Yo--heave--ho! Up she goes."
To such and similar cries, Ralph saw the great main sail unfold its
vast expanse in obedience to the measured hauling of a line of men, who
uttered a monotonous half shout as they bent to the work. Another gang
soon had the foresail going upward, after which the capstan was manned.
To Ralph these proceedings were thrillingly attractive. It was his
first bewildering taste of the duties of a sailor's life.
As the men pushed with a will at the capstan bars, and the ship drew
toward her anchor, some one struck up a song that ran somewhat as
follows:
"A bucklin' wind and a swashin' tide,
Yo ho, ho, boys, yo ho, ho!
If I had Nancy by my side,
With a yo ho, ho, ho, boys, yo ho, ho!"
While there did not seem to be much sense attached to the words, the
manner in which they were roared forth, and the push altogether with
which they drove the bars at the end of each line, made a vivid
impression on the mountain lad's imagination.
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