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? ? ? ? While I toiled at rigging the foremast, Maud sewed on the canvas, ready always to drop everything and come to my assistance when more hands than two were required. The canvas was heavy and hard, and she sewed with the regular sailor's palm and the three-cornered sail-needle. Her hands were soon sadly blistered, but she struggled bravely on, and, in addition, did the cooking and took care of the sick man.

? ? ? ? 'A fig for superstition,' I said on Friday morning. 'That mast goes in today.'

? ? ? ? Everything was ready for the attempt. Carrying the boom-tackle to the windlass, I hoisted the mast nearly clear of the deck. Making this tackle fast, I took to the windlass the shears-tackle (which was connected with the end of the boom), and with a few turns had the mast perpendicular and clear.

? ? ? ? Maud clapped her hands the instant she was relieved from holding the turn, crying:

? ? ? ? 'It works! It works! We'll trust our lives to it!'

? ? ? ? Then she assumed a rueful expression.


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