After examining forward and aft he called out, "All right, sir," and shoved the boat off to a little distance from the frigate.

The yard and stay-tackles fell, at the next instant were overhauled down and hooked by the man in the boat.

The boatswain's mate, in the gangway, piped "haul-taut," and the slack of the tackle was pulled in; then followed a long, steady blow of the call, piping "sway-away," and the boat, with all in her, rose from the water, and ascended as high as the hammock-cloths in the waist, when the stay-tackles took the strain, the yard-tackles "eased-off," and the boat was landed in the waist of the ship as gingerly as if it were made of glass, and as steadily as if it had no more weight than a seaman's hammock.

Ghita uttered a faint scream when she found herself rising into the air, and then she hid her face, awaiting the result with dread.

As for Carlo Giuntotardi, the movement aroused him a little from his customary apathy, and that was all; whereas Ithuel bethought him seriously of leaping into the water and striking out for the land.