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By noon it could be seen that the three vessels ahead were

commencing to come back, but with terrible slowness. Code, lashed

in the weather-rigging, studied them for more than an hour

through his glasses. Then he leaped to the deck.

"Hell's bells! No wonder we can't catch 'em! Burns has got

stays'l set, and I think Tanner has, too. Couldn't see Martin.

Set stays'l, all hands!"

Under the driving of Ellinwood the staysail was set, and from

then on the Charming Lass sailed on her side.

At every roll her sheerpoles were buried, and it seemed an open

question whether she would ever come up or not. It was at this

time that Tip O'Neill, a daring young buck of Freekirk Head,

performed the highly dangerous feat of walking from her main to

her forerigging along the weather run, which fact shows there was

foothold on her uppermost side for a man crazy enough to desire

it.