"As something more than that, though it would be exceedingly convenient to be able to set a reefed foresail in case the engine should break down. I have been thinking of bending on the foresail since it came on to blow heavily." "You have no use for it yet; for Felipe says the Pacha had everything about the craft built twice as strong as was necessary, and I have no fear of the engine," replied Louis. "If the sails were bent on, I should have set a reefed foresail, and perhaps a reefed mainsail, before this time," continued the captain. "It would steady her a great deal if nothing more, for I do not believe we are making our ten knots an hour just now." Captain Scott sat on the divan, and appeared to be considering the expedient he had mentioned. A few minutes later he announced his intention to bend on the foresail, and he made his exit with the same precaution he had used in entering. He called Felix, Pitts, Morris, and Don to assist in the work, after he had been into the forecastle by the way of the engine and fire rooms. He overhauled the sails, and found the one he wanted. Pitts carried it on deck, and it was passed up to the promenade deck, as they called the roofs of the deck-houses. The foremast was between the galley and the pilot-house. The gaff was lowered; and Scott and Pitts, who were both sailors, lashed the head of the sail to it. The mast-hoops were all in place, and the inner-leach was readily secured to them. Felix and Don, who were not sailors, had enough to do in holding on at the sail to keep the wind from whipping it out of the hands of the operators. The promenade deck was swept by floods of spray all the time, and the party had not been there five minutes before they were wet to the skin; but no one minded this, for the weather was quite warm, the wind, fresh as it was, coming from the burning sands of Africa. The tack was secured, and the clew hauled out to the end of the boom. The foot of the sail was then lashed down, and the work was finished, though it had taken an hour and a half to do it. The two sailors then overhauled the sheet and the halyards to see that they were in working order. Pitts had brought up some "slush," or grease, which was applied where it was needed. A single reef was then put in the sail, and then a second upon the top of it, so that the last could be turned out if the craft would bear more sail. Captain Scott then stationed his force so that none of them would be knocked overboard by the thrashing of the sail, which was then hoisted with no little difficulty. The sheet was hauled in and made fast to the lower block, which moved on a traveller. [Illustration: "THE SAIL WAS THEN HOISTED WITH NO LITTLE DIFFICULTY."]