FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   >>   >|  
red constant baling, and the utmost care in steering, to keep the boat from being swamped. Fortunately the storm was accompanied by heavy rain, so that by catching a little of this in their jackets and caps, they succeeded in quenching their thirst. Hunger they had scarcely felt up to this time, but soon the cravings of nature began to be imperious, and Gaff served out the first ration, on the short allowance scale, which was so small that it served only to whet their appetites. There was no need to row now. It was absolutely necessary to run before the wind, which was so strong that a single oar, set up in the place where the mast should have been, was sufficient to cause the light craft to fly over the waves. Each took the helm for a couple of hours by turns. Thus employed they spent the day, and still thus employed the dark night found them. Bad though things looked when there was light enough to enable them to see the rush of the black clouds overhead, the bursts of the driving spray and the tumultuous heavings of the wild sea, it was inconceivably worse when the darkness settled down so thick that they could barely see each other's faces, and the steering had to be done more by _feeling_, as it were, than sight. Gaff took the helm during the greater part of the night, and the other two baled incessantly; but the gale increased so much that the water at last came in faster than it could be thrown out, and they expected to be swamped every instant. "We're goin' down, daddy," said Billy, while a strong inclination to burst into tears almost choked him. "Here, lad," shouted Gaff in a loud voice, for the noise of the wind and waves rendered any other sound almost inaudible, "take the helm and keep her right before the wind. Ye used to steer well; do yer best now, my boy." While he spoke Billy obeyed, and his father sprang into the middle of the boat, and grasped the three oars and boat-hook with which the boat was supplied. There were two small sails, which he wrapped hastily round these, and then tied them all together tightly with a piece of rope. In this operation he was assisted by Graddy, who seemed to understand what his comrade meant to do. The boat was now half full of water. "Down the helm--hard down," roared Gaff. "Ay, ay, sir," responded Billy, with the ready promptitude of a seaman. The boat flew round; at the same moment Gaff hurled the bundle of sails and spars overboard, and eas
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
employed
 

strong

 

steering

 

swamped

 

served

 
choked
 
shouted
 

inaudible

 
responded
 

rendered


seaman

 

promptitude

 
inclination
 

bundle

 
hurled
 

overboard

 
increased
 
faster
 

thrown

 

moment


expected

 

instant

 

hastily

 

understand

 

wrapped

 

comrade

 

incessantly

 

supplied

 

operation

 

assisted


tightly

 
Graddy
 

roared

 

father

 

sprang

 
middle
 

grasped

 
obeyed
 

appetites

 
allowance

imperious
 

ration

 
single
 
absolutely
 

nature

 

cravings

 
Fortunately
 

accompanied

 
constant
 

baling