Half a day's work meant half a day's pay to them.

It was all very well for the Cap'n, who drew his by the week.
"Come, look alive!" Taffy called sharply.

He pinned his faith to the barometer, and as he shut it in its case he glanced at the brigantine and saw that her crew were busy with the braces, flattening the forward canvas.

"See there, boys.

There'll be a gale from the west'ard before night." For a minute the brigantine seemed to have run into a calm.
The schooner, half a mile behind her, came reaching along steadily.
"That there two-master's got a fool for a skipper," grumbled a voice.
But almost at the moment the wind took her right aback--or would have done so had the crew not been preparing for it.