A good chantie man is a great help in a ship's crew. A song with a bright topical chorus takes half the weight off a long or a heavy haul. The chain cable comes in with a click, click of the windlass falls. "The anchor is away, sir," shouts the Chief Officer. "Heave it a-peak and cathead it," comes from the quarter-deck, and the tug "Retriever" forges ahead, and tightens the towrope as we gather way. Bang, bang, went the guns, and twice more, for we were carrying the mails, and good-bye to old Liverpool, and the crowds which lined the pierhead cheered, for the "Red Jacket" was already a famous ship, and it was hoped she would make a record passage. Next morning we were off Holyhead, with a fresh westerly breeze and southerly swell. We were making but poor headway, and shortly the hawser parted. "All hands on deck" was shouted by Captain O'Halloran, and a crew of eighty men promptly appeared on deck, for we carried a double crew. "Loose sails fore and aft; hands in the tops and cross-trees to see that all is clear and to overhaul gear; let royals and skysails alone." The boatswain's whistle sounded fore and aft as the men quickly took their positions and laid hold of the halyards and braces. "Mr. Taylor, loose the head-sails." "Aye, aye, sir." The topsails, courses, and topgallant sails were all loose and gaskets made up. "Sheet home your topsails." "Aye, aye, sir." "Now, then, my men, lead your topsail halyards fore and aft, and up with them." Away the crew walk along with the halyards, and then with a long pull and a pull all together the topsail yards are mastheaded to the chantie:-- Then up the yard must go, Whiskey for my Johnny, Oh, whiskey for the life of man, Whiskey, Johnny. "'Vast heaving--Belay there. Now brace up the yards, all hands on the lee fore braces." So handy my boys, so handy, sang the chantie man. "Pass along the watch tackle, and have another pull. That will do. Belay there, and man the main braces. Down tacks." The jibs are run up and the spanker hauled out, and the good ship "Red Jacket" like a hound released from the leash, bounds forward, and runs the knots off the log reel.