From the main topsail yard, we went upon the main yard, and took a reef in the mainsail.  No sooner had we got on deck than—­ ``Lay aloft there, and close-reef mizzen topsail!’’ This called me; and, being nearest to the rigging, I got first aloft, and out to the weather earing.  English Ben was up just after me, and took the lee earing, and the rest of our gang were soon on the yard, and began to fist the sail, when the mate considerately sent up the cook and steward to help us.  I could now account for the long time it took to pass the other earings, for, to do my best, with a strong hand to help me at the dog’s ear, I could not get it passed until I heard them beginning to complain in the bunt.  One reef after another we took in, until the sail was close-reefed, when we went down and hoisted away at the halyards.  In the mean time, the jib had been furled and the staysail set, and the ship under her reduced sail had got more upright, and was under management; but the two top-gallant-sails were still hanging in the buntlines, and slatting and jerking as though they would take the masts out of her.  We gave a look aloft, and knew that our work was not done yet; and, sure enough, no sooner did the mate see that we were on deck than—­ ``Lay aloft there, four of you, and furl the top-gallant-sails!’’ This called me again, and two of us went aloft up the fore rigging, and two more up the main, upon the top-gallant yards.  The shrouds were now iced over, the sleet having formed a crust round all the standing rigging, and on the weather side of the masts and yards.  When we got upon the yard, my hands were so numb that I could not have cast off the knot of the gasket if it were to save my life.  We both lay over the yard for a few seconds, beating our hands upon the sail, until we started the blood into our fingers’ ends, and at the next moment our hands were in a burning heat.  My companion on the yard was a lad (the boy, George Somerby), who came out in the ship a weak, puny boy, from one of the Boston schools,—­ ``no larger than a spritsail-sheet knot,’’ nor ``heavier than a paper of lamp-black,’’ and ``not strong enough to haul a shad off a gridiron,’’ but who was now ``as long as a spare topmast, strong enough to knock down an ox, and hearty enough to eat him.’’ We fisted the sail together, and, after six or eight minutes of hard hauling and pulling and beating down the sail, which was about as stiff as sheet-iron, we managed to get it furled; and snugly furled it must be, for we knew the mate well enough to be certain that if it got adrift again we should be called up from our watch below, at any hour of the night, to furl it.