Page:Harry Castlemon - The Steel Horse.djvu/201

 if she's going to? I wonder if that light off there, which blazes up so brightly every minute or two and then disappears, isn't on the lightship. If it is, this ship's going to sea, and we'll go with her if we don't get off directly."

While the boy was talking to himself in this way he did not permit any thing that transpired within the range of his vision to escape his notice. He might never again have opportunity to see sail made aboard ship, and now was the time for him to learn something. He heard an almost constant scurrying of feet below, mingled with a chorus of unintelligible commands, some of which were addressed to the dozen or more men who were clinging to a swaying yard over his head, and finally an answering "Ay, ay, sir," came out of the darkness and the men began to "lay down from aloft." Before Roy knew what they meant to do, they were crowding past him on their way to the deck. The last to go by him was Tony.

"What you doin' here, lad?" he exclaimed. "Why didn't you come up higher an' lend a hand with the topsail?"