Each yard must be fought for by the
earnest crew.
Occasionally Cap'n Trainor called an encouraging sentence at them. For
the most part, however, only the ravening sea roared malice in their
ears.
Around them the hungry waves leaped and fought for their lives; but the
buoyant boat, held true to her course by the skipper, bore up nobly
under the strain. They won on, foot by foot.
The thunder of the breakers over the reef finally deafened them. The
rocking schooner, buffeted by waves that could not drive her completely
over the reef, towered finally above the heads of the men in the
lifeboat.
Cap'n Trainor's straining eyes deciphered her name painted on the bow.
He threw a hand upward in a surprised gesture, still clinging to the
steering oar with his other hand, and shrieked aloud:
"The _Curlew_! By mighty! who'd ha' thought it? 'Tis the _Curlew_."
He, too, knew of Cap'n Abe's supposed voyage on the seaweed ship.
The oarsmen read the word upon the skipper's lips rather than heard his
voice. Two, at least, were shocked by the announcement--Lawford and
the storekeeper.
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