Mrs. Marvin lay upon the leeward locker with a blanket thrown over her
and with the little girl at her feet; Miss Blake sat on the weather side
with a book in her hand.
"We're going to take some sail off the boat," he explained. "You needn't
be disturbed by the noise."
"When do you expect to meet the steamer?" Miss Blake inquired.
"Not for two or three hours, anyway."
Vane fancied that the girl noticed the hint of uncertainty in his voice,
and he banged the slide to as he disappeared.
"Down helm!" he shouted to Carroll.
There was a banging and thrashing of canvas as the sloop came up into the
wind. They held her there with the jib aback while they hauled the canoe
on board, which was not an easy task; and then with difficulty they hove
down a reef in the mainsail. It was heavy work, because there was nobody
at the helm; and the craft, falling off once or twice while they leaned
out upon the boom with toes on her depressed lee rail, threatened to hurl
them into the frothing water. Neither of them was a trained sailor; but
on that coast, with its inlets and sounds and rivers, the wanderer learns
readily to handle sail and paddle and canoe-pole.
They finished their task; and when Vane seized the helm Carroll sat down
under the shelter of the coaming, out of the flying spray.
"We'll probably have some trouble putting your friends on board the
steamer, even if she runs in," he remarked.
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