Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-07-13
CHAPTER MI.
THE PASSAGE OF THE REEFS.
At day "All handsi" was Gale

At daybreak "All handsl" was called.
They got the ketch under weigh and
beat her to within quarter Of mile
of the entrance through the outermoat
reefs Then, heaving to again, they
tool: the mainsail off her altogether and
started afrcsh under number three jib
and cringle headed mizzen trysail. The
fore staysail was on deck, banked, with
the halyards hooked and moused, ready
for instant hosting, so that, if it should
be required, the sail could be aloft in
five seconds But Captain Colepepper
admitted that he did not expect to need
it, unless, perhaps, for some sudden
canting off by the head
The slower, within reasonable limits.
that the ketch forged along the greater
would be her safety, and therefore the
captain had taken the extra precaution
of getting the topsail and its yard bent
on to a warp. ready to lower away
astern by way of a floating drag, if the
pace had to be still further retarded.
When these various preparations had
been completed, way was got on the
1 Eureka again. She ceased bobbing lazily
over the swells and turned in toward
| the reefs.
Captain Colepepper was at the tiller,
Henrietta stood in the port channels
ready with the hand lead, Tom Jelly
was perched on the crosstrees. Cain
Laversha was on the mizzen sheet
Hans Dolly and the undergraduate
were all stationed ready for emergency
duty on the forecastle DR.. Tring as
pilot had taken up his position on the
heel Of the bowsprit and stood with eye
| glasses screwed firmly into their puck
cred leathery framework, peering anx-
! iously at the water ahead.
The breeze was from the southwark,
and as their course lay mostly toward
north they expected to have it fair for
most of the time The entrance to the
channel which DR.. Tring was making
for was about couple of miles in
width The clear water within its
boundaries stood out darkly against the
crumbling lines of surf on either hand.
They crept slowly into this pass and
worked their way carefully along Jib-
| ing frequently The lead was kept going
constantly, but it was in reality of less
use than the sharp lookout which was
kept by the young eyes forward AT
this work the depth Of water can be
plumbed quickly, and with good deal
of accuracy by merely watching the
color indications The different depths
are shown by different surface tints,
and with little experience it is as easy
to read these as it would be to prick out
a course on shaded chart
Had it not been for these chromatic
indications they could never have picked
their way along, for many times, when
Henriettas shrill voice was calling out
mo bottoml'' the doctor was singing
ont for Down helm and hard in
sheets' TO avoid some covered rock
that rose sheer up from the deep direct
ly ahead of her
They happened to be close to one Of
these hidden shoals when sea broke,
and as the ketch slipped away close
hauled from along its edge Dolly looked
over to leeward and saw a wonderful
eight-lovely, yet almost fearsome il
its irresistible grandeur.
Watch it, Alanl' she cried, "It's
going to break -
A huge green roller had risen as Il
by magic from the smoother water o.
the channel, Driven along in grand