Not a voice was heard, and every man quietly awaited his order, looking
abashed that there had been a tongue heard save his who had the right
alone to speak.

"Cast the gasket off the foot of the fore and aft foresail."

"Ay, ay, sir!" responded the mate, who having secured the rudder, now
hastened by his commander, followed by a dozen hands, to execute the
order.

"Haul the sheet to port!"

"Ay, ay, sir!"

"Belay that!"

As the vessel felt the power of the canvass thus opportunely loosed and
brought to bear, she gradually paid off before the wind, and once more
had steerage way. Another foresail was now bent, and this time
double-reefed, the foretopsail, too, was bent, close-reefed and furled,
while the fore and aft foresail was once more stowed, leaving the "Sea
Witch" to scud under double-reefed foresail.

Five days of steady blow continued before the vessel could again show
more than a small portion of her canvass. Then the wind once more hauled
to the northwest, and the "Sea Witch" donned heir fore and aft rig on
all her masts steering close-hauled again due cast, until the lofty
headlands of the Cape de Verds hove gradually in sight, and the fleet
clipper craft made her anchorage in the harbor of Port Praya.