"Breakers to leeward, men," he cried "we must wear ship, and then shall
clear them. We shall be standing right into Humber after that, as I think."
Arngeir heard the men trampling, if not the whistle, and he was with us
directly, and heard what was to be done.
"It is a chance if the yard stands it," he said, looking aloft.
"Ay, but we cannot chance going about in this sea, and we are too short
of men to lower and hoist again. Listen!"
Arngeir did so, and heard for the first time the growing anger of the
surf on the shore, and had no more doubt. We were then running with the
wind on the port quarter, and it was useless to haul closer to the wind
on that tack, whereas if we could wear safely we should be leaving the
shore at once by a little closer sailing.
"Ran is spreading her nets," said Arngeir, "but if all holds, she will
have no luck with her fishing." [6]
Then we manned the main sheet and the guys from the great yards, but we
were all too few for the task, which needed every man of the fifteen
that we had sailed with. There was the back stay to be set up afresh on
the weather quarter for the new tack also, and three men must see to that.
We watched my father's hand for the word, and steadily sheeted home
until all seemed to be going well. But the next moment there was a crash
and a cry, and we were a mastless wreck, drifting helplessly.
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