Thelowertopsailsandcourseswerethenset，andthebrigbegantowalkthewaterlikeathingoflife，herforefootdiscoursingmusic，thebirdsflyingandcryingoverherspars。
　　Bitbybitthepassagebegantoopenandtheblueseatoshowbetweentheflankingbreakersonthereef；bitbybit，onthestarboardbow，thelowlandoftheisletbegantoheavecloseraboard。Theyardswerebracedup，thespankersheethauledaftagain；thebrigwasclosehauled，laydowntoherworklikeathinginearnest，andhadsoondrawnneartothepointofadvantage，whereshemightstayandlieoutofthelagooninasingletack。
　　Wickstookthewheelhimself，swellingwithsuccess。Hekeptthebrigfulltogiveherheels，andbegantobarkhisorders：
　　“Readyabout。Helm’sa-lee。Tacksandsheets。Mainsailhaul。”Andthenthefatalwords：“That’lldoyourmainsail；
　　jumpforrardandhaulroundyourforeyards。”
　　Tostayasquare-riggedshipisanaffairofknowledgeandswiftsight；andamanusedtothesuccinctevolutionsofaschoonerwillalwaystendtobetoohastywithabrig。Itwassonow。
　　Theordercametoosoon；thetopsailssetflataback；theshipwasinirons。Evenyet，hadthehelmbeenreversed，theymighthavesavedher。Buttothinkofastern-boardatall，farmoretothinkofprofitingbyone，wereforeigntotheschooner-sailor’smind。Wicksmadehasteinsteadtowearship，amanoeuvreforwhichroomwaswanting，andtheFlyingScudtookgroundonabankofsandandcoralabouttwentyminutesbeforefive。
　　Wickswasnohandwithasquare-rigger，andhehadshownit。
　　Buthewasasailorandaborncaptainofmenforallhomelypurposes，whereintellectisnotrequiredandaneyeinaman’sheadandaheartunderhisjacketwillsuffice。Beforetheothershadtimetounderstandthemisfortune，hewasbawlingfreshorders，andhadthesailsclewedup，andtooksoundingsroundtheship。
　　“Shelieslovely。”heremarked，andorderedoutaboatwiththestarboardanchor。
　　“Here！steady！”criedTommy。“Youain’tgoingtoturnusto，towarpheroff？”
　　“Iamthough。”repliedWicks。
　　“Iwon’tsetahandtosuchtomfooleryforone。”repliedTommy。
　　“I’mdeadbeat。”Hewentandsatdowndoggedlyonthemainhatch。“Yougotuson；getusoffagain。”headded。
　　CarthewandWicksturnedtoeachother。
　　“Perhapsyoudon’tknowhowtiredweare。”saidCarthew。
　　“Thetide’sflowing！”criedthecaptain。“Youwouldn’thavememissarisingtide？”
　　“O，gammon！there’stidesto-morrow！”retortedTommy。
　　“AndI’lltellyouwhat。”addedCarthew，“thebreezeisfailingfast，andthesunwillsoonbedown。Wemaygetintoallkindsoffreshmessinthedarkandwithnothingbutlightairs。”
　　“Idon’tdenyit。”answeredWicks，andstoodawhileasifinthought。“ButwhatIcan’tmakeout。”hebeganagain，withagitation，“whatIcan’tmakeoutiswhatyou’remadeof！Tostayinthisplaceisbeyondme。There’sthebloodysungoingdown——andtostayhereisbeyondme！”
　　Theotherslookeduponhimwithhorrifiedsurprise。Thisfalloftheirchiefpillar——thisirrationalpassioninthepracticalman，suddenlybarredoutofhistruesphere，thesphereofaction——
　　shockedanddauntedthem。Butitgavetoanotherandunseenhearerthechanceforwhichhehadbeenwaiting。Mac，onthestrikingofthebrig，hadcrawledupthecompanion，andhenowshowedhimselfandspokeup。
　　“CaptainWicks。”saidhe，“it’smethatbroughtthistroubleonthelotofye。I’msorryforut，Iaskallyourpardons，andifthere’sanyonecansay’Iforgiveye，’it’llmakemysoulthelighter。”
　　Wicksstareduponthemaninamaze；thenhisself-controlreturnedtohim。“We’reallinglasshouseshere。”hesaid；“weain’tgoingtoturntoandthrowstones。Iforgiveyou，sureenough；andmuchgoodmayitdoyou！”
　　Theothersspoketothesamepurpose。
　　“Ithankyeforut，and’tisdonelikegentlemen。”saidMac。
　　“Butthere’sanotherthingIhaveuponmymind。Ihopewe’reallProdestan’shere？”
　　Itappearedtheywere；itseemedasmallthingfortheProtestantreligiontorejoicein！
　　“Well，that’sasitshouldbe。”continuedMac。“Andwhyshouldn’twesaytheLord’sPrayer？Therecan’tbenohurtinut。”
　　Hehadthesamequiet，pleading，childlikewaywithhimasinthemorning；andtheothersacceptedhisproposal，andkneltdownwithoutaword。
　　“Knaleifyelike！”saidhe。“I’llstand。”Andhecoveredhiseyes。
　　Sotheprayerwassaidtotheaccompanimentofthesurfandseabirds，andallroserefreshedandfeltlightenedofaload。Uptothen，theyhadcherishedtheirguiltymemoriesinprivate，oronlyreferredtothemintheheatofamomentandfallenimmediatelysilent。Nowtheyhadfacedtheirremorseincompany，andtheworstseemedover。Norwasitonlythat。
　　Butthepetition“Forgiveusourtrespasses。”fallinginsoappositeaftertheyhadthemselvesforgiventheimmediateauthoroftheirmiseries，soundedlikeanabsolution。
　　Teawastakenondeckinthetimeofthesunset，andnotlongafterthefivecastaways——castawaysoncemore——laydowntosleep。
　　Daydawnedwindlessandhot。Theirslumbershadbeentooprofoundtoberefreshing，andtheywokelistless，andsatup，andstaredaboutthemwithdulleyes。OnlyWicks，smellingahardday’sworkahead，wasmorealert。Hewentfirsttothewell，soundeditonceandthenasecondtime，andstoodawhilewithagrimlook，sothatallcouldseehewasdissatisfied。
　　Thenheshookhimself，strippedtothebuff，clamberedontherail，drewhimselfupandraisedhisarmstoplunge。Thedivewasnevertaken。Hestoodinsteadtransfixed，hiseyesonthehorizon。
　　“Handupthatglass。”hesaid。
　　Inatricetheywereallswarmingaloft，thenudecaptainleadingwiththeglass。
　　Onthenorthernhorizonwasafingerofgreysmoke，straightinthewindlessairlikeapointofadmiration。
　　“Whatdoyoumakeit？”theyaskedofWicks。
　　“She’struckdown。”hereplied；“notellingyet。Bythewaythesmokebuilds，shemustbeheadingrighthere。”
　　“Whatcanshebe？”
　　“ShemightbeaChinamail。”returnedWicks，“andshemightbeabloomingman-of-war，cometolookforcastaways。Here！
　　Thisain’tthetimetostandstaring。Ondeck，boys！”
　　Hewasthefirstondeck，ashehadbeenthefirstaloft，handeddowntheensign，bentitagaintothesignalhalliards，andranitupuniondown。
　　“Nowhearme。”hesaid，jumpingintohistrousers，“andeverythingIsayyougriponto。Ifthat’saman-of-war，she’llbeinatearinghurry；alltheseshipsarewhatdon’tdonothingandhavetheirexpensespaid。That’sourchance；forwe’llgowiththem，andtheywon’ttakethetimetolooktwiceortoaskaquestion。I’mCaptainTrent；Carthew，you’reGoddedaal；
　　Tommy，you’reHardy；Mac’sBrown；Amalu——Holdhard！wecan’tmakeaChinamanofhim！AhWingmusthavedeserted；
　　Amalustowedaway；andIturnedhimtoascook，andwasneveratthebothertosignhim。Catchtheidea？Sayyournames。”
　　Andthatpalecompanyrecitedtheirlessonearnestly。
　　“Whatwerethenamesoftheothertwo？”heasked。“HimCarthewshotinthecompanion，andtheoneIcaughtinthejawonthemaintop-gallant？”
　　“HoldorsenandWallen。”saidsomeone。
　　“Well，they’redrowned。”continuedWicks；“drownedalongsidetryingtoloweraboat。Wehadabitofasqualllastnight：
　　that’showwegotashore。”Heranandsquintedatthecompass。
　　“Squalloutofnor’-nor’-west-half-west；blewhard；everyoneinamess，fallsjammed，andHoldorsenandWallenspiltoverboard。See？Clearyourbloomingheads！”Hewasinhisjacketnow，andspokewithafeverishimpatienceandcontentionthatranglikeanger。
　　“Butisitsafe？”askedTommy。
　　“Safe？”bellowedthecaptain。“We’restandingonthedrop，youmoon-calf！Ifthatship’sboundforChinawhichshedon’tlooktobe，we’relostassoonaswearrive；ifshe’sboundtheotherway，shecomesfromChina，don’tshe？Well，ifthere’samanonboardofherthateverclappedeyesonTrentoranybloominghandoutofthisbrig，we’llallbeinironsintwohours。Safe！no，itain’tsafe；it’sabeggarlylastchancetoshavethegallows，andthat’swhatitis。”
　　Atthisconvincingpicture，feartookholdonall。
　　“Hadn’tweahundredtimesbetterstaybythebrig？”criedCarthew。“Theywouldgiveusahandtofloatheroff。”
　　“You’llmakemewastethisholydayinchattering！”criedWicks。“Lookhere，whenIsoundedthewellthismorning，therewastwofootofwaterthereagainsteightincheslastnight。What’swrong？Idon’tknow；mightbenothing；mightbetheworstkindofsmash。Andthen，thereweareinforathousandmilesinanopenboat，ifthat’syourtaste！”
　　“Butitmaybenothing，andanywaytheircarpentersareboundtohelpusrepairher。”arguedCarthew。
　　“MosesMurphy！”criedthecaptain。“Howdidshestrike？
　　Bowson，Ibelieve。Andshe’sdownbytheheadnow。Ifanycarpentercomestinkeringhere，where’llhegofirst？Downintheforepeak，Isuppose！Andthen，howaboutallthatbloodamongthechandlery？YouwouldthinkyouwerealotofmembersofParliamentdiscussingPlimsoll；andyou’rejustapackofmurdererswiththehalterroundyourneck。Anyotherassgotanytimetowaste？No？ThankGodforthat！Now，allhands！I’mgoingbelow，andIleaveyouhereondeck。Yougettheboatcoveroffthatboat；thenyouturntoandopenthespeciechest。Therearefiveofus；getfivechests，anddividethespecieequalamongthefive——putitatthebottom——andgoatitliketigers。Getblankets，orcanvas，orclothes，soitwon’trattle。It’llmakefiveprettyheavychests，butwecan’thelpthat。
　　You，Carthew——dashme！——You，Mr。Goddedaal，comebelow。
　　We’veoursharebeforeus。”
　　Andhecastanotherglanceatthesmoke，andhurriedbelowwithCarthewathisheels。
　　Thelogswerefoundinthemaincabinbehindthecanary’scage；twoofthem，onekeptbyTrent，onebyGoddedaal。
　　Wickslookedfirstatone，thenattheother，andhislipstuckout。
　　“Canyouforgehandofwrite？”heasked。
　　“No。”saidCarthew。
　　“There’sluckforyou——nomorecanI！”criedthecaptain。
　　“Hullo！here’sworseyet，here’sthisGoddedaaluptodate；hemusthavefilleditinbeforesupper。Seeforyourself：’Smokeobserved——CaptainKirkupandfivehandsoftheschoonerCurrencyLass。’Ah！thisisbetter。”headded，turningtotheotherlog。“Theoldmanain’twrittenanythingforaclearfortnight。We’lldisposeofyourlogaltogether，Mr。Goddedaal，andsticktotheoldman’s——tomine，Imean；onlyIain’tgoingtowriteitup，forreasonsofmyown。Youare。You’regoingtositdownrighthereandfillitinthewayItellyou。”
　　“Howtoexplainthelossofmine？”askedCarthew。
　　“Youneverkeptone。”repliedthecaptain。“Grossneglectofduty。You’llcatchit。”
　　“Andthechangeofwriting？”resumedCarthew。“Youbegan；
　　whydoyoustopandwhydoIcomein？Andyou’llhavetosignanyway。”
　　“O！I’vemetwithanaccidentandcan’twrite。”repliedWicks。
　　“Anaccident？”repeatedCarthew。“Itdon’tsoundnatural。
　　Whatkindofanaccident？”
　　Wicksspreadhishandface-uponthetable，anddroveaknifethroughhispalm。
　　“Thatkindofanaccident。”saidhe。“There’sawaytodrawtowindwardofmostdifficulties，ifyou’veaheadonyourshoulders。”Hebegantobinduphishandwithahandkerchief，glancingthewhileoverGoddedaal’slog。“Hullo！”hesaid，“this’llneverdoforus——thisisanimpossiblekindofayarn。
　　Here，tobeginwith，isthisCaptainTrenttryingsomefancycourse，leastwayshe’sathousandmilestosouth’ardofthegreatcircle。Andhere，itseems，hewascloseupwiththisislandonthesixth，sailsallthesedays，andiscloseupwithitagainbydaylightontheeleventh。”
　　“Goddedaalsaidtheyhadthedeuce’sluck。”saidCarthew。
　　“Well，itdon’tlooklikereallife——that’sallIcansay。”returnedWicks。
　　“It’sthewayitwas，though。”arguedCarthew。
　　“Soitis；andwhatthebetterareweforthat，ifitdon’tlookso？”
　　criedthecaptain，soundingunwonteddepthsofartcriticism。
　　“Here！tryandseeifyoucan’ttiethisbandage；I’mbleedinglikeapig。”
　　AsCarthewsoughttoadjustthehandkerchief，hispatientseemedsunkinadeepmuse，hiseyeveiled，hismouthpartlyopen。Thejobwasyetscarcedone，whenhesprangtohisfeet。