The latter raised his arm to Reuben.

He waited till the vessel rolled over, and then lifted his axe.

The two blows fell together on the stays.

A moment later the vessel began to rise again.

As the jerk came there was a crash above, and the main-top mast fell over the side, clear of the deck, having snapped off at the cap like a pipe stem.
"Thank God for that," the captain said, as he cut away the connections on the other side, and the spar drifted astern, "that is off our minds." The loss of the main-top mast and mizzen greatly relieved the strain on the ship, and she worked much easier.