"May be; but we must take a spell at the pumps first," he answered--his
first thought was always of them.
We turned to as before, till our arms ached, and then we ran down and
got some breakfast. We knew the value of time, but we couldn't get on
without eating, any more than other people.
On returning to the deck we lowered the lanterns, which had long since
gone out, finished bending the sails, fitting braces, tacks, sheets, and
bowlines, and were then ready to hoist away. We at once set all the
sails we had ready, to see how they stood. To our satisfaction, they
appeared to greater advantage than we had expected.
"They'll do!" cried Jim, as we surveyed them; "only let us get a breeze
from the right quarter, and we'll soon make the land."
Fortunately, the rudder had been uninjured when the brig went over, and
the wheel was in order. I stood at the helm, longing for the time when
I should see the brig moving through the water. I may say, once for
all, that at very frequent intervals Jim and I went to the pumps, but he
stood longer at the work than I did. There was urgent necessity for our
doing so, as, notwithstanding all our exertions, we had but slightly
diminished the water in the hold.
When not thus occupied we did various things that were necessary about
the brig; among others we got life-lines round the shattered bulwarks,
so that should a heavy sea get up, we might run less risk of being
washed overboard. We also went to the store-room, and brought to the
cabin various descriptions of provisions, that we might have them at
hand when wanted. We knew that when once we got a wind we should have
no time to do anything besides navigating the vessel.
I had gone below to get dinner ready, the only hot meal we took in the
day, leaving Jim pumping, when I heard him sing out down the
companion-hatchway--
"Here it comes, and a rattling breeze, too."
I sprang on deck and went to the helm, while Jim stood ready to trim
sails. Looking astern I could see a line of white foam sweeping along
towards us over the surface of the ocean. Before it was up to us the
sails bulged out, the brig gathered way, and presently she was gliding
at the rate of three or four knots through the water.
Jim and I shouted with exultation--we forgot the past--we thought not of
the future. We believed that we were about to reap the fruit of our
labours.
For several hours we ran on with the wind right aft, steering due west.
I steered for most of the time, but Jim occasionally relieved me. So
eager were we that we forgot all about eating, till he cried out--
"I must have some food, Peter, or I shall drop."
I was running below to get it, feeling just as hungry as he did, when
the wind hauled more to the southward. We took a pull at the starboard
braces, and I then hurried below to bring up what we wanted. Just as I
was cutting some meat which had been boiling till the fire went out, I
heard a crash. I sprang up on deck. The brig was again dismasted, and
Jim was struggling in the waves astern.