Meantime, if all is ready, it would please me mightily if we could start." The captain pulled a bell rope.

"Tell the mate to cast off," he said, to the man who answered.

An instant later the hoarse boom of the boat's whistles roared out their warning.

There came a crush of late-comers at the gangway.

Shouts arose; deck hands scrambled with the last packages of freight; but presently the staging was shipped and all the lines cast free.