Dan had for some time been baling, having only undertaken the work in obedience to Vincent's angry orders, being too ill to care much what became of them.
"Now, Dan, I am going to bring her head up to the wind, so get ready to throw off that halyard and gather in the sail as it comes down.

That's right, man, now down with the mast." Vincent had read that the best plan, when caught in an open boat in a gale, was to tie the oars and mast, if she had one, together, and to throw them overboard with the head rope tied to them, as by this means the boat would ride head to sea.

The oars, sculls, mast, and sail were firmly tied together and launched overboard, the rope being first taken off the anchor and tied round the middle of the clump of spars.
Vincent carefully payed out the rope till some fifteen yards were over, then he fastened it to the ring of the head rope, and had the satisfaction of finding that the boat rode easily to the floating anchor, rising lightly over the waves, and not shipping a drop of water.
He then took the baler and got rid of the water that had found its way on board, Dan, after getting down the sail, having collapsed utterly.
"Now, Dan, sit up; there, man, the motion is much easier now, and we are taking no water on board.

I will give you a glass of rum, that will put new strength into you.

It's lucky we put it in the basket in case of emergency." The negro, whose teeth were chattering from cold, fright, and exhaustion, eagerly drank off the spirit.