of the yards, loosing the
lanyards of the gaskets and casting them off, while the deck-men let go
the buntlines and clewlines and other running gear.

"All ready for letting fall, sir," the middy stationed in the foretop
was the first to sing out. This was Dick Popplethorne, a smart lad, who
prompted the topmen under his charge to emulate his ready example, so as
to get ahead of the others. Larkyns at the maintop was a good second,
while Adams at the mizzen was the last; the officer of the watch, on
hearing his hail, reporting "All ready!"

"Let fall and sheet home!" thereupon shouted out Commander Nesbitt, with
the captain standing behind, as it were, to "back him up," following
this order with another warning hail--"Topsail halliards!"

Our topsails and courses were at once spread; and, then, the men on deck
stood by the halliards, hoisting the yards up as soon as the word of
command reached them from the commander with his next breath "Hoist
away!"

The wind was blowing steadily from the northward and westward as the
yards were braced up, and the _Candahar_ payed off handsomely on the
port tack with the tide, making for the Warner Lightship to the
eastwards; and, as we trimmed sails and bore away from our whilom
anchorage in the roadstead, the breeze brought out to us the silvery
chimes of the bells of old Saint Thomas', ringing the good people to
church while we stood out to sea.

There was a clear blue sky overhead and the bright sun mellowed the
frosty feel of the air, lighting up the blue water around us, as we
ploughed our way through the dancing wavelets; our noble ship curvetting
and prancing along, similar to some gallant charger tossing its head and
showing off its paces, throwing up the spray over her forecastle when
she dipped deeper than usual and leaving a long wake behind her, like a
lady's fan, all sprinkled over with pearls, stretching back to Spithead,
now far away astern.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

DOWN CHANNEL.

Meanwhile, the first lieutenant and boatswain were busy forward with the
forecastle hands, seeing to the catting and fishing of the anchor; and,
as soon as our port bower was properly secured by the aid of the cathead
stopper and shank painter, the courses, which were all ready to let
fall, were dropped and sheeted home, topgallants and royals spread, and
the jib and foretopmast staysail set, as well as the spanker aft, the
old _Candahar_ being presently under a cloud of canvas alo