The tacks and sheets are the ropes by which the courses are hauled down, and kept in place, the tack being on the windward side, and the sheet on the leeward.

“All ready, sir,” reported the lieutenants forward.

“Haul taut!  Let go tacks and sheets!  Haul up!”

These orders being promptly obeyed, the courses were hauled up, and the ship was under topsails and top-gallant sails, jib, flying-jib, and spanker.

“Ship, ahoy!” shouted the first lieutenant through his trumpet, as the Young America rolled slowly along under the stern of the wreck.

“Ship, ahoy!” replied a voice from the deck of the wreck.  “We are in a sinking condition!  Will you take us off?”

“Ay, ay!” cried Haven, with right good will.

“You will heave to the ship, Mr. Haven,” said the captain, when she had passed a short distance beyond the wreck.

“Man the jib and flying-jib halyards and down-hauls,” said the first lieutenant.

“All ready forward, sir,” replied the second lieutenant, on the forecastle.

“Stand by the maintop bowline!  Cast off!  Man the main braces!”

“Let go the jib and flying-jib halyards!  Haul down!” And the jibs were taken in.

“Slack off the lee braces!  Haul on the weather braces!”

The main-topsail and top-gallant were thus thrown aback, and the Young America was hove to, in order to enable her people to perform their humane mission.

“Stand by to lower the barge and gig!” continued Haven.

“Mr. Haven, you will board the wreck in the gig,” said Captain Gordon.

“Yes, sir,” replied he, touching his cap, and handing the trumpet to the second lieutenant.

“Mr. Kendall, you will take charge of the barge,” added the captain.

“The barge, sir,” answered Kendall, passing the trumpet to Goodwin, the third lieutenant, who, during the absence of his superiors, was to discharge the duty of the executive officer.

The boats were cleared away, and every preparation made for lowering them into the water.  This was a difficult and dangerous manoeuvre in the heavy sea which was running at the time.  The professors’ barge, which was secured at the davits on the weather side of the ship, was to be lowered with her crew on board, and they took their places on the thwarts, with their hands to the oars in readiness for action.  The principal had requested Mr. Fluxion to go in the barge and Mr. Peaks in the gig, not to command the boats, but to give the officers such suggestions as the emergency of the occasion might require.

“All ready, sir,” reported Ward, the coxswain of the barge, when the oarsmen were in their places.

“Stand by the after tackle, Ward,” said Haven.  “Bowman, attend to the fore tackle.”

At a favorable moment, when a great wave was sinking down by the ship’s side, the order was given to lower away, and in an instant the barge struck the water.  Ward cast off the after tackle, and the bowman did the same with the forward tackle.  At the moment the order to lower was given, as the wave sank down, the ship rolled to windward, and the boat struck the water some eight feet from the vessel’s side.