the companion stairs.
“She’s moving,” said Titty.
“Keep your head out of the way. I’m coming down,” said Susan.
“Listen.” John, sitting up in his bunk, called out from his cabin. “There’s a headsail flapping.”
That noise stopped and there was a sharp creak and the groan of blocks.
“That’s the boom going over,” called Nancy.
“She’s slanting the other way,” said Peggy.
“Heeling, you mean,” said Nancy. “Yes, she is.”
“They must have got the sails up without us,” said Titty.
“Somebody’s started my engine,” said Roger indignantly, coming back after having a look at it.
There was a general rush and scramble below decks. John, Susan and Roger came up on deck through the companion out of the saloon. Nancy, Peggy, and Titty came up the ladder out of the forehatch. They came on deck in the summer morning, to find sunshine and a strong northeasterly breeze clearing away the light morning mist. The Wild Cat, with her engine running in case of trouble, was tacking out of harbour under jib and mainsail.
“Why did you start without us?” said Roger. “Who’s engineer?”
“You are,” said Captain Flint, “and in another minute or two you can stop her. But keep out of the way now. Stand by to go about, Mr. Duck.”
“Aye, aye, sir.”
Captain Flint spun the wheel, and the Wild Cat swung round, while Peter Duck let fly the port jib sheets.
“Smart enough,” he said, finding Nancy all ready to haul in on the other side as the sail blew across.
“Well, but why did you start without us?” said Nancy.
“Ask the skipper,” said Peter Duck. “But you ain’t got left behind.”
“We thought we’d take our chance of a little practice without you,” said Captain Flint. “Tide served. And it seemed a pity to waste any of this wind.”
“We heard you walking up and down all night,” said Titty.
“Ready to repel boarders,” said Nancy.
“But that man didn’t come again,” said Peggy.
“No. He didn’t,” said Captain Flint, glancing back over his shoulder towards the inner harbour. “And if he wants to come now, he’s too late. And now, you scallywags, what do you think our ship looks like with all of you slopping about in pyjamas all over the place? A floating dormitory. All pyjamas go below. Get dressed as quick as you can. We shall be in fairly quiet water going down the Pakefield, but after that we’ll probably catch it. Much more wind than yesterday.”
“We must stay on deck just till we’re outside the harbour.”
“Tally on to the foresail halyards then, and help Mr. Duck.”
“Smartly now, my hearties,” cried Nancy, as they ran forward to help Mr. Duck hoist the foresail.
“Slack away foresail sheet,” said Mr. Duck, seeming almost to forget that the six Swallows and Amazons in their pyjamas were not some sort of native crew. “Handsomely now. Belay. Now then. You three on the throat. T’other three on the peak. Hoist away. Up she goes. Hoist away. Belay peak halyard. Haul away on the throat. Swig away there. Let me get a hold. SO. Belay. Haul on the peak. Handsomely now. So. Belay. Slacken away topping lifts. Not that, Cap’n Nancy. That’s right. Coil down halyards. Haul in the sheet . . . “
As he spoke he hauled in the sheet himself, with John and Nancy tallying on to help him.
“Staysail halyards!” he called, and Nancy and John flew forward again. In a very few moments the staysail was up and drawing.
“A year or two of practice and you’ll be a goodish crew,” said Peter Duck.
“Ready about!” came Captain Flint’s voice from the wheel.
There was a bit of a bustle for a moment, letting go sheets and hauling in again on the lee side as the sails came over. Then all was quiet once more, and the crew gathered aft by the wheel where Roger and Titty were already, Titty watching the jetty slip by as the Wild Cat headed for the harbour mouth, and Roger hopping in and out of the deckhouse, waiting to be allowed to shut down the engine, or move the lever to full ahead, or do something else that really mattered in the engine line.
“All right, Roger” said Captain Flint. “Stop her!”
The chug-chug of the little engine came to an end. Roger came on deck again.
“The engine wants some more cleaning,” he said.
“Job for you and Gibber,” said Captain Flint. “But get dressed and let’s have breakfast over first.”
Roger was gone.
“Hurry up, you others,” said Captain Flint. “We’re hungry. Besides, I want to be free to look at charts and things, and some of you will be wanted to take the wheel.”
Nancy, John, Susan, and Peggy disappeared in a bunch.
“What are you waiting for, Titty?”
Titty was looking back at the harbour they were leaving. Far away there, beyond the swing bridge, in the inner basin, loose grey canvas was climbing up among tall masts and rigging.
“The Viper’s hoisting her sails,” said Titty. “I do believe she’s coming after us.”
Captain Flint glanced over his shoulder.
“It may be some other vessel, “ he said. “You can’t tell from here. What do you think, Mr. Duck?”
“Able-seaman’s right, sir, seems to me. Aye, they’re getting their sails up.” He took the telescope from the rack close inside the deckhouse, and looked through it towards the inner harbour. “Aye,” he said, “they’re setting their sails, sure enough. They’ve a halyard unrove, I reckon. I can see that young Bill up at the masthead.”
“Good luck to them,” said Captain Flint. “They can set them and welcome for all we care.”
But Peter Duck kept the telescope to his eye, watching that fluttering grey canvas, until the Wild Cat was well outside the pier heads.
“Skip along, Titty,” said Captain Flint, and Titty disappeared below, to change from pyjamas into something more fitting for an able-seaman to wear on a schooner bound down Channel.
Below decks things were very unsteady. Dressing was not so easy as it had been when the Wild Cat was tied to the quay. Slap. Slap. Bang. The waves hit the bows of the little green schooner in a cheerful, welcoming manner, as she came out of the sheltered harbour to meet
