the wind was in the west , gentle , a mere breath ; he finished the last of the work , two branches crossed and tied with some strips of fabric cut , with a sharp rock , from the robe he wore ; the rest of it he rigged on her as a sail , and striding out into the water he pushed the foot of the makeshift mast through the raft while junichiro steadied her , and secured it beneath with another knotted length of fabric , filled with sand and pebbles .