The watches will be changing, and we'll have the use of both of them, without working a hardship on the watch below by calling it out now." And when both watches were on deck Captain West, again in oilskins, came out of the chart-house.

Mr.Pike, out on the bridge, took charge of the many men who, on deck and on the poop, were to manage the mizzen-braces, while Mr.Mellaire went for'ard with his watch to handle the fore-and main-braces.

It was a pretty manoeuvre, a play of leverages, by which they cased the force of the wind on the after part of the _Elsinore_ and used the force of the wind on the for'ard part.
Captain West gave no orders whatever, and, to all intents, was quite oblivious of what was being done.

He was again the favoured passenger, taking a stroll for his health's sake.

And yet I knew that both his officers were uncomfortably aware of his presence and were keyed to their finest seamanship.