The ship was falling off a
little before the fore-royal was clewed up, so Mr. Gibney ran
back to the wheel and put her on her course again while McGuffey
brought the main-royal clewlines to the winch. Again Gibney made
the wheel fast and helped McGuffey clew up the main-royal; again
he set her on her course while McGuffey, following instructions,
made ready to clew up the fore-to'-gallan'-s'l. They were abreast
Black Point before this latter sail was clewed up, and then they
smothered the lower top-s'ls; the bark was slipping lazily
through the water and McGuffey took the wheel.

"Starboard a little! Steady-y-y! Keep her as she heads," Gibney
warned and cast off the jib halyards. The jibs slid down the
stays, hanging as they fell. They were well up toward Meiggs
wharf now and it devolved upon Mr. Gibney to bring his prize in
on the quarantine ground and let go his port anchor. Fortunately,
the anchor was already cock-billed. Mr. Gibney sprang to the
fore-top-sail halyards and let them go and the fore-top-sail came
down by the run.

"Hard-a-starboard! Make her fast, Bart, an' come up here an' help
me with the anchor. Let go the main-top-sail halyards as you come
by an' stand by the compressor on the windlass."

The _Chesapeake_ swung slowly, broadside to the first of the ebb
and with the wind on her port beam, Mr. Gibney knocked out the
stopper with his trusty hammer and away went the rusty chain,
singing through the hawsepipe. "Snub her gently, Mac, snub her
gently, an' give her the thirty-fathom shackle to the water's
edge," he warned McGuffey.

The bark swung until her bows were straightened to the ebb tide
and with a wild, triumphant yell Mr. Gibney clasped the honest
McGuffey to his perspiring bosom. The deed was done!

It was dark, however, before they had all the sails snugged up
shipshape, although in the meantime the quarantine launch had
hove alongside, investigated, and removed those of the crew who
still lived. Shortly thereafter the coroner came and removed the
dead, after which Gibney and McGuffey hosed down the deck,
located some hard tack and coffee, supped and turned in in the
officers' quarters. In the morning, Scab Johnny arrived in a
launch with their other clothes (Mr. Gibney having thoughtfully
sent him ten dollars on account of their old board bill, together
with a request for the clothes), and when the agents of the
_Chesapeake_ sent a watchman to relieve them they went ashore and
had br