The wreck of the foremast was cleared from the ship; the gale continued; but the sun shone brightly and warmly. The _Circassian_ was again brought to the wind. All danger was now considered to be over, and the seamen joked and laughed as they were busied in preparing jury-masts to enable them to reach their destined port. 'I wouldn't have cared so much about this spree,' said the boatswain, 'if it warn't for the mainmast; it was such a beauty. There's not another stick to be found equal to it in the whole length of the Mississippi.' 'Bah! man,' replied Oswald; 'there's as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it, and as good sticks growing as ever were felled; but I guess we'll pay pretty dear for our spars when we get to Liverpool--but that concerns the owners.' The wind, which at the time of its sudden change to the southward and eastward had blown with the force of a hurricane, now settled into a regular strong gale, such as sailors are prepared to meet and laugh at. The sky was also bright and clear, and they had not the danger of a lee shore. It was a delightful change after a night of darkness, danger, and confusion; and the men worked that they might get sufficient sail on the ship to steady her, and enable them to shape a course. 'I suppose, now that we have the trysail on her forward, the captain will be for running for it,' observed one who was busy turning in a dead-eye. 'Yes,' replied the boatswain; 'and with this wind on our quarter we shan't want much sail, I've a notion.' 'Well then, one advantage in losing your mast--you haven't much trouble about the rigging.' 'Trouble enough, though, Bill, when we get in,' replied another gruffly; 'new lower rigging to parcel and sarve, and every block to turn in afresh.' 'Never mind, longer in port--I'll get spliced.' 'Why, how often do you mean to get spliced, Bill? You've a wife in every State, to my sartin knowledge.' 'I arn't got one at Liverpool, Jack.' 'Well, you may take one there, Bill; for you've been sweet upon that nigger girl for these last three weeks.' 'Any port in a storm, but she won't do for harbour duty. But the fact is, you're all wrong there, Jack: it's the babbies I likes--I likes to see them both together, hanging at the niggers' breasts, I always think of two spider-monkeys nursing two kittens.' 'I knows the women, but I never knows the children. It's just six of one and half-a-dozen of the other; ain't it, Bill?' 'Yes; like two bright bullets out of the same mould. I say, Bill, did any of your wives ever have twins?' 'No; nor I don't intend, until the owners give us double pay.' 'By the bye,' interrupted Oswald, who had been standing under the weather bulkhead, listening to the conversation, and watching the work in progress, 'we may just as well see if she has made any water with all this straining and buffeting. By the Lord! I never thought of that. Carpenter, lay down your adze and sound the well.'