Mate Susan let go of Amazon ’s gunwale, and Swallow drifted astern at the end of her painter.
“Where’s the pirate flag?” asked Captain John, looking up the mast to see that all was clear for setting sail.
“They’d left it at the masthead,” said Titty. “I hauled it down as soon as it was light and I saw it. I didn’t think of it before.”
“You did quite right,” said Captain John. “While she’s a prize she mustn’t fly her own flag. She ought to fly ours, but we haven’t a spare one.”
Amazon ’s sail was a standing lug, just the same as Swallow ’s, so that John had no trouble in setting it. He began hauling in the anchor rope.
“Now then, Able-seaman, will you take the tiller to sail her across? She’s your prize really, you know. Are you ready, Mister Mate? Shall we cast off Swallow ?”
“Ready,” said Susan. “Roger, run forward to coil down the painter.”
Roger, fully awake now, hurried to the bows. Titty let go of Swallow ’s painter. Roger hauled it in hand over hand and coiled it down. Swallow ’s sail filled and she began to move. John hauled on the Amazon ’s anchor rope until it was straight up and down.
“Ready, Titty.”
“Ready.”
“She’s sailing now. Keep her full.” John hauled up the anchor as fast as he could. Amazon began to sail, but slipped away to leeward.
“Centreboard’s not down,” said John. “She’ll sail all right as soon as it is. She hasn’t got a keel like Swallow .”