FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   >>   >|  
ised that all was right, and stuck the revolver in his belt. "How's the skipper?" he asked. "My father seems worn out and ill," said Mark sadly. "Make him lie down," muttered the mate; and he strode across to the captain's cabin, but came back shaking his head, and went to the cabin-window, where he leaned out and was trying to see whether the boat was all right when a faint noise overhead made him instinctively draw in his head. It was a narrow escape, for as the mate drew back there was a dark line seen to dart across the cabin-window and return. "Well, I'm not a spiteful man," said the mate, rubbing his ear, "but I should certainly like to give that fellow a pill that would lay him up for six months. Now, what pleasure would it have afforded him, Mark, my lad, if he had run that spear through my neck?" "It's his nature, sir," said the major shortly. "Those fellows value a life at about a rupee, and sometimes not at that." The men had risen, stretched, and were looking round in a discontented way; but they began to beam shortly after when a fair supply of biscuits and sardines from the captain's private supply was handed round, and followed by some bottled beer, the opening of which seemed to cause a commotion on deck, and an excited talking as if the Malays thought some kind of weapon was being fired. The breakfast worked wonders in the gaunt, untidy-looking throng, and when the captain said a few words to them asking their help, and that they would stand by him to the last, there was a hearty cheer, one which caused a rush of feet upon the deck, and then a hurried buzzing sound was heard as if the Malays were gathering for an attack. In view of this the men were placed well armed by the barricaded door, and the major stood ready at their side, while Small was stationed beneath the sky-light armed with a gun, and with orders to fire through the first hole driven down in the panels of the door Mr Gregory had placed for protection. "So far so good," said the captain cheerily, and the excitement seemed to remove the haggard look in his pale face. "But look here, gentlemen, we must leave a way open for retreat." "Of course," said the major, "never lose touch of that." "My plan is to defend the ship to the last, and then take to the boat-- that is, if the case has become hopeless. So, Gregory, sooner or later they will find out that the boat is here, and try to cut it adrift. You will go to
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

captain

 

Malays

 

Gregory

 

shortly

 

supply

 
window
 

wonders

 

worked

 

barricaded

 
caused

hurried

 
buzzing
 

untidy

 

gathering

 

hearty

 

throng

 

attack

 

protection

 

defend

 

retreat


adrift

 

hopeless

 

sooner

 

gentlemen

 

orders

 

stationed

 

beneath

 

driven

 

panels

 

haggard


remove

 
excitement
 

cheerily

 

breakfast

 

escape

 
narrow
 

overhead

 

instinctively

 

return

 

rubbing


spiteful

 

father

 

skipper

 

revolver

 

leaned

 

shaking

 
muttered
 

strode

 

fellow

 

sardines