Forget me Knott settles down 4/5

At the end of the third day, the paddle steamer approached a coastline and Barnacle Bill stopped the engines while Fern went up on the foredeck and dropped the anchor.

"All fast Cap'n," she shouted, "six fathom of chain, a sandy bottom and holding well."

Abigail smiled happily at Barnacle Bill. "You've done a jolly good job there. I think she's a real credit to your teaching. Now I must be off. Don't wait for me, I'll fly back home when I've finished here."

She draped her kitbag over her broomstick, climbed on and took off. She circled the ship once and then flew off inland. Fern and Barnacle Bill waved until she disappeared from sight.

"Right-ho," said Barnacle Bill, "you take the con and I'll raise anchor. You can spin her round by backing one paddle while going forward on the other."

"Aye aye Cap'n," said Fern happily and she ran up the ladder to the bridge deck two rungs at a time.

The steamer turned and started back the way it had come, captain and crew both enjoying themselves immensely. All went well until they were back in the mouth of the Therdle. Coming towards them was one of the Davy Jones' sailing ships starting out on a deep-water voyage. The goblin crew were hoisting sail and singing a chanty to help them in their work.

"Come listen to me and I'll sing you a song
Way hay blow the man down
Of a thing that befell me new home from Hong Kong
Give us some time to blow the man down."

Fern stared at the approaching ship. Barnacle Bill stopped the engines and everything became quiet, except for the singing aboard the brig.

"Halliard chanty," said Barnacle Bill. "The song gives the rhythm for the sailors to pull together while they're hoisting sail."

"Such a beautiful ship," said Fern in an awed voice, "Oh my, oh my."

"Chock ablock throat halliards," came a cry from the brig. "Starboard watch on peak halliards, jump to it now." The singing started again.

"As I was a'walking down Paradise Street
Way hay blow the man down.”

The upper end of the mainsail rose rapidly and a gust of wind made the brig heel slightly and surge forward through the water. A chuckle of a wave was just beginning to break under the bowsprit.

"Getting a bone in her teeth now," said Barnacle Bill.

Fern remained silent but couldn't take her eyes off the sailing boat as it swept past the stationary paddle steamer on it's way out to sea.