"Clew up them royals." He lashed the wheel and they brought the
clewlines again to the winch head. The ship was falling off a
little before the fore-royal was clewed up, so Mr. Gibney ran
back to the wheel and put her on her course again while McGuffey
brought the main-royal clewlines to the winch. Again Gibney made
the wheel fast and helped McGuffey clew up the main-royal; again
he set her on her course while McGuffey, following instructions,
made ready to clew up the fore-to'-gallan'-s'l. They were abreast
Black Point before this latter sail was clewed up, and then they
smothered the lower top-s'ls; the bark was slipping lazily
through the water and McGuffey took the wheel.
"Starboard a little! Steady-y-y! Keep her as she heads," Gibney
warned and cast off the jib halyards. The jibs slid down the
stays, hanging as they fell. They were well up toward Meiggs
wharf now and it devolved upon Mr. Gibney to bring his prize in
on the quarantine ground and let go his port anchor. Fortunately,
the anchor was already cock-billed. Mr. Gibney sprang to the
fore-top-sail halyards and let them go and the fore-top-sail came
down by the run.
"Hard-a-starboard! Make her fast, Bart, an' come up here an' help
me with the anchor.
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