FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110  
111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   >>  
know the skipper of the dredger. We can sort of drop in on him and take a look from there. That suit?" "That will be fine," Rick replied. "But we may have a long wait if Brad's at Creek House." "Wouldn't be surprised," Cap'n Mike nodded. "Likely two hours. What say you come into my shack? Might be able to scare up a sandwich or two to pass away the time." Rick looked at Jerry doubtfully. "There's a paper tomorrow morning. Don't you have to get back and help get it out?" "Not tonight." Jerry grinned his pleasure. "Duke said to stick with you two and forget everything else. First time I've had an assignment like this. I have to admit I sort of like it." "Good," Cap'n Mike grunted. "Then let's go see what we can find to eat. I got so interested in watching for Brad Marbek that I plumb forgot about food." * * * * * It was after eleven when the four left the shack and climbed into Jerry's car for the short ride to the pier. At Scotty's suggestion, they parked the car on the edge of town and walked to the dock where the dredger was tied up. They stayed in the shadows, hopeful that they would not be seen, and Rick thought they reached the dredge without attracting attention. The dredge was deserted, but Cap'n Mike made himself at home. He led the boys into the wheelhouse, a small shack on the aft end, and they took places at the windows. They had arrived too early, as it developed. It was a full half-hour before the _Albatross_ rounded the fish pier and steamed into her berth. The pier workers were gathered at the berth, obviously waiting impatiently. They had finished unloading the last of the other trawlers a full fifteen minutes before. Rick studied the rigging of the ship as it approached and memorized the position of her running lights. The _Albatross_ had only one distinctive feature; her crow's-nest, from which a lookout was kept for schools of fish, was basket-shaped instead of being perfectly round. The other trawlers, he had noted, had crow's-nests that looked like barrels. He knew he wouldn't forget the way the nest narrowed toward the bottom. The _Albatross_ was low in the water. As she slid into position and threw out her lines, he saw clearly the Plimsoll mark on her bow. The Plimsoll mark was a series of measurements in feet, running from the maximum depth at which the ship should lie in the water down toward the keel. By looking at it, the skipper could te
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110  
111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   >>  



Top keywords:

Albatross

 

looked

 

dredger

 
skipper
 
trawlers
 

position

 
running
 

dredge

 

forget

 

Plimsoll


gathered
 

places

 

wheelhouse

 

unloading

 

finished

 
impatiently
 

attention

 

waiting

 

rounded

 
steamed

deserted

 
windows
 

arrived

 

developed

 

workers

 

schools

 

narrowed

 
bottom
 

series

 

measurements


maximum

 

wouldn

 

distinctive

 

feature

 

lookout

 

lights

 

memorized

 

minutes

 

studied

 

rigging


approached

 

attracting

 

barrels

 

perfectly

 

basket

 

shaped

 
fifteen
 

doubtfully

 

tomorrow

 

sandwich