He had also single-reefed his mainsail and
foretopsail. The Sea Lion, of the Vineyard, imitated each movement, and
was brought down precisely to the same canvass as her consort, and on the
same tack. At that moment the two vessels were not a cable's length
asunder, the Oyster Ponders being slightly to leeward. Their schooner,
however, had a trifling advantage in sailing when it blew fresh and the
water was rough; which advantage was now making itself apparent, as the
two craft struggled ahead through the troubled element.
"I wish we were two hundred miles to the eastward," observed the young
master to his first officer, as soon as his eye had taken in the whole
view. "I am afraid we shall get jammed in on Cape Hatteras. That place is
always in the way with the wind at south-east and a vessel going to the
southward. We are likely to have a dirty time of it, Mr. Hazard."
"Ay, ay, sir, dirty enough," was the careless answer. "I've known them
that would go back and anchor in Fort Pond Bay, or even in Gardiner's,
until this south-easter had blown itself out."
"I couldn't think of that! We are a hundred miles south-east of Montauk,
and if I run the craft into any place, it shall be into Charleston, or
some of the islands along that coast.
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