“All aboard,” cried Mate Susan.
Roger took his place in the bows. Titty sat on the middle thwart. John hooked the gaff to the traveller on the mast, and hauled up the little brown sail and made the halyard fast. Titty’s flag, with the dark blue swallow on a white ground, was already at the masthead. Titty had hoisted it herself as soon as they had stepped the mast after breakfast. John went aft to the tiller. Susan pulled down the boom until the sail was setting properly, when she too made fast.
There was a very light northwesterly wind, brought, no doubt, by the urgent whistling of the crew. Mother held the end of the painter, and then when the little sail filled, she threw it to Roger who coiled it down, and stuffed it away under his feet. Very slowly the Swallow slid away from the jetty.
“Goodbye, mother. Goodbye, Vicky. Goodbye, nurse.”
“Goodbye, goodbye,” came from the jetty.
Mother waved her handkerchief. Nurse waved hers, and Vicky waved a fat hand.
The crew of the Swallow waved back.
“Three cheers for the stay-at-homes,” called Captain John.
They cheered.
“We ought to sing ‘ Spanish Ladies ,’ ” said Titty. So they sang:
“Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies, Adieu and farewell to you, ladies of Spain, For we’re under orders for to sail to old England, And we may never see you fair ladies again.