Of course Mulford obeyed, throwing the brig up into the wind, and allowing her to set to windward, but filling again on the same tack, as ordered. This, of course, delayed her progress toward the land, and protracted the agony, but it carried the vessel in the direction she most wished to go, while it kept her not only end on to the steamer, but in a line with the bluff, and consequently in the position most favourable to conceal her true character. Presently, the bay mentioned, which was several miles deep, opened darkly toward the south, and the wind came directly out of it, or more to the southward. At this moment the Swash was near a quarter of a mile from the steamer, and all that distance dead to windward of her, as the breeze came out of the bay. Spike tacked his vessel himself now, and got her head up so high that she brought the steamer on her lee quarter, and looked away toward the island which lies northwardly from the Point, and quite near to which all vessels of any draught of water are compelled to pass, even with the fairest winds. “Shake the reef out of the mainsail, Mr. Mulford,” said Spike, when the Swash was fairly in motion again on this advantageous tack. “We shall pass well to windward of the steamer, and may as well begin to open our cloth again.” “Is it not a little too soon, sir?” Mulford ventured to remonstrate; “the reef is a large one, and will make a great difference in the size of the sail.” “They'll not see it at this distance. No, no, sir, shake out the reef, and sway away on the topgallant-mast rope; I'm for bringing the Molly Swash into her old shape again, and make her look handsome once more.” “Do you dress the brig, as well as undress her, o'mights; Captain Spike?” inquired the ship-master's reliet, a little puzzled with this fickleness of purpose. “I do not believe my poor Mr. Budd ever did that.” “Fashions change, madam, with the times--ay, ay, sir--shake out the reef, and sway away on that mast-rope, boys, as soon as you have manned it. We'll convart our schooner into a brig again.” As these orders were obeyed, of course, a general bustle now took place. Mulford soon had the reef out, and the sail distended to the utmost, while the topgallant-mast was soon up and fidded. The next thing was to sway upon the fore-yard, and get that into its place. The people were busied at this duty, when a hoarse hail came across the water on the heavy night air. “Brig ahoy!” was the call. “Sway upon that fore-yard,” said Spike, unmoved by this summons--“start it, start it at once.” “The steamer hails us, sir,” said the mate. “Not she. She is hailing a brig; we are a schooner yet.” A moment of active exertion succeeded, during which the fore-yard went into its place. Then came a second hail. “Schooner, ahoy!” was the summons this time. “The steamer hails us again, Captain Spike.”