Our mariners were quite an hour in searching for the channel, and near another in anchoring the buoys in a way to render the passage perfectly safe.  As soon as this was done, Bob pulled back to the ship, which was less than a mile distant, as fast as he could, for there was every appearance of a change of weather.  The moment was one, now, that demanded great coolness and decision.  Not more than an hour of day remained, and the question was whether to attempt to move the ship that night, when the channel and its marks were all fresh in the minds of the two seamen, and before the foul weather came, or to trust to the cable that was down to ride out any blow that might happen.  Mark, young as he was, thought justly on most professional subjects.  He knew that heavy rollers would come in across the reef where the vessel then lay, and was fearful that the cable would chafe and part, should it come on to blow hard for four-and-twenty hours continually.  These rollers, he also knew by the observation of that day, were completely broken and dispersed on the rocks, before they got down to the island, and he believed the chances of safety much greater by moving the ship at once, than by trying the fortune of another night, out where she then lay.  Bob submitted to this decision precisely as if Mark was still his officer, and no sooner got his orders than he sprang from sail to sail, and rope to rope, like a cat playing among the branches of some tree.  In that day, spensers were unknown, staysails doing their duty.  Thus Bob loosed the jib, main-topmast and mizen-staysails, and saw the spanker clear for setting.  While he was thus busied, Mark was looking to the stopper and shank-painter of the sheet-anchor, which had been got ready to let go, before Captain Crutchely was lost.  He even succeeded in getting that heavy piece of metal a cock-bill, without calling on Bob for assistance.

It was indeed time for them to be in a hurry; for the wind began to come in puffs, the sun was sinking into a bank of clouds, and all along the horizon to windward the sky looked dark and menacing.  Once Mark changed his mind, determining to hold on, and let go the sheet-anchor where he was, should it become necessary; but a lull tempted him to proceed.  Bob shouted out that all was ready, and Mark lifted the axe with which he was armed, and struck a heavy blow on the cable.  That settled the matter; an entire strand was separated, and three or four more blows released the ship from her anchor.  Mark now sprang to the jib-halliards, assisting Bob to hoist the sail.  This was no sooner done than he went aft to the wheel, where he arrived in time to help the ship to fall off.  The spanker was next got out as well as two men could do it in a hurry, and then Bob went forward to tend the jib-sheet, and to look out for the buoys.

It was indispensable in such a navigation to make no mistake, and Mark enjoined the utmost vigilance on his friend.  Twenty times did he hail to inquire if the buoys were to be seen, and at last he was gratified by an answer in the affirmative.