Collected works > Edinburgh edition, 1894-98 - Works of Robert Louis Stevenson > Volume 20, 1896 - Travels and excursion, Volume III

THE EBB-TIDE
slate ; we 11 have to start our dead reckoning right
away.'
The distance run since the departure was read off
the log by the binnacle light and entered on the slate.
' Ready about,' said the captain. ' Give me the
wheel, White Man, and you stand by the mainsheet.
— Boom tackle, Mr. Hay, please, and then you can
jump forward and attend head sails.'
' Ay, ay, sir,' responded Herrick.
' All clear forward ? ' asked Davis.
'All clear, sir.'
' Hard a-lee ! ' cried the captain. ' Haul in your
slack as she comes,' he called to Huish. ' Haul in
your slack, put your back into it ; keep your feet
out of the coils.' A sudden blow sent Huish flat
along the deck, and the captain was in his place.
' Pick yourself up and keep the wheel hard over ! '
he roared. ' You wooden fool, you wanted to get
killed, I guess. Draw the jib,' he cried a moment
later ; and then to Huish, ' Give me the wheel again,
and see if you can coil that sheet.'
But Huish stood and looked at Davis with an
evil countenance. ' Do you know you struck me ? '
said he.
' Do you know I saved your life ? ' returned the
other, not deigning to look at him, his eyes travelling
instead between the compass and the sails. ' Where
would you have been if that boom had swung out
and you bundled in the slack ? No, sir, we '11 have
no more of you at the mainsheet. Seaport towns
are full of mainsheet-men ; they hop upon one leg,
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