The Treasure of the Incas by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty
page 45 of 414 (10%)
page 45 of 414 (10%)
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for with this small amount of sail we should have made a terrible amount
of leeway. As it is, all is fair sailing." The darkness gradually passed away, and in an hour after the gale had struck her the _Para_ was sailing under a bright blue sky. Although but few points off the wind, she was lying down till her lee scuppers were under water. The spray was flying over her sparkling in the sun; the sailors were crouched under the weather bulwark, lashed to belaying-pins and stanchions to prevent themselves from shifting down to leewards. Six hours later it was evident that there was some slight diminution in the force of the wind. "She is going about fourteen knots now," the captain said; "we can head her more to the south. We must be nearly abreast of the islands, and according to my reckoning forty or fifty miles to the east of them." It was now dark, and the watch was sent below. "To-morrow morning we shall be able to get some more sail on her," the master said, "and I hope by the next morning the squall will be over, for we shall then have made our southing, and the wind will be right in our teeth when we turn her head west. There is no saying which way it will come when the squall dies out. What do you think, Johnson?" "We are pretty sure to get it hot from one quarter or another," the man said. "I should say most likely from the south." "Except for the cold that would be better than west," Harry remarked. "Yes, if it is not too strong; but it is likely to be strong. After such a |
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