It was
the steady breeze I had been expecting so long. I called to the
Chinese and pointed it out. They hailed it with exclamations.
Then I pointed to the sail and to the water in the Reindeer, and
indicated by signs that when the wind reached the sail, what of the
water aboard we would capsize. But they jeered defiantly, for they
knew it was in my power to luff the helm and let go the main-sheet,
so as to spill the wind and escape damage.
But my mind was made up. I hauled in the main-sheet a foot or two,
took a turn with it, and bracing my feet, put my back against the
tiller. This left me one hand for the sheet and one for the
revolver. The dark line drew nearer, and I could see them looking
from me to it and back again with an apprehension they could not
successfully conceal. My brain and will and endurance were pitted
against theirs, and the problem was which could stand the strain of
imminent death the longer and not give in.
Then the wind struck us. The main-sheet tautened with a brisk
rattling of the blocks, the boom uplifted, the sail bellied out,
and the Reindeer heeled over--over, and over, till the lee-rail
went under, the cabin windows went under, and the bay began to pour
in over the cockpit rail.
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