United States or North Macedonia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Here, sir!" replied the second lieutenant; but his voice sounded like a whisper in the roar of the hurricane. "Double the hands on the outhaul!" added Terrill. "Stand by the brails!" "All ready, forward, sir!" reported Martyn. "Stand by the fore-sheets! Mr. Cleats!" continued the executive officer. "Here, sir!" said the old sailor, who, with the carpenter, was holding on at the weather-rail.
Merely taking all the oars out of the Speedy's cutter, he dashed on in our wake. At first he gained, nor was I unwilling he should, for I wished to speak him. The main and fore-sheets were eased off, and Neb was told to keep the top-sails lifting. Thus favoured, he soon got within fifty yards of us, straining every nerve to get nearer.
Our carpenter being prepared to grave the outside of the ship, as well as to pay the seams where he had caulked her to stop the leaks, had got two kettles just let down into the boat; one filled with boiling pitch, and the other with rosin, tallow, and oil, and such stuff as the shipwrights used for that work; and the man that tended the carpenter had a great iron ladle in his hand, with which he supplied the men that were at work with that hot stuff: two of the enemy's men entered the boat just where this fellow stood, being in the fore-sheets; he immediately sainted them with a ladleful of the stuff, boiling hot, which so burnt and scalded them, being half naked, that they roared out like two bulls, and, enraged with the fire, leaped both into the sea.
And knowing what sort of navigation a fellow'd have in the hands of that sort of land-craft, I began to think about laying my course for another port. 'Hold on here, says a big-sided land-lubber, seizing me by the fore-sheets. 'Cast off there, says I, 'or I'll put ye on yer beam-ends. "'I'm a constable, says he, pulling out a pair of irons he said must go on my hands."
The fore-sheets were heaped with sacks of flour, onions, and potatoes, perched among which was Huish dressed as a foremast hand; a heap of chests and cases impeded the action of the oarsmen; and in the stern, by the left hand of the doctor, sat Herrick, dressed in a fresh rig of slops, his brown beard trimmed to a point, a pile of paper novels on his lap, and nursing the while between his feet a chronometer, for which they had exchanged that of the Farallone, long since run down and the rate lost.
And knowing what sort of navigation a fellow'd have in the hands of that sort of land-craft, I began to think about laying my course for another port. 'Hold on here, says a big-sided land-lubber, seizing me by the fore-sheets. 'Cast off there, says I, 'or I'll put ye on yer beam-ends. "'I'm a constable, says he, pulling out a pair of irons he said must go on my hands."
Poor little Pepper was also much regretted. He was but twelve years old. He had bribed the bowman of the second cutter to allow him to conceal himself under the fore-sheets of the boat. His day's allowance of spirits had purchased him this object of his ambition, which ended so fatally. But as soon as the bodies had disappeared under the wave, and the service was over, we all felt happier.
I invited Mr. Cornwood to go on board with me, and he accepted the invitation. He took his place in the fore-sheets of the boat, apparently for the purpose of maintaining his respectful distance from the passengers. In a few minutes we were on the deck of the Sylvania. The passengers retired to the cabin, and Cornwood followed me to my state-room.
"All right; I understand you now," responded Ben, as he seized the painter, and stood up in the fore-sheets as well as the rolling of the boat in the current would permit. "Now for it!" shouted Deck, as he felt the bottom of the boat strike on its keel. Ben said nothing, but sprang over the bow of the boat, upon what seemed to be a flat shore, with the rope in his hand.
All was as silent as a tomb. Stepping into the fore-sheets, he leaped on shore, directing the Russian to follow him. "Vincent, you will remain in charge of the boat and the men," said the third lieutenant, addressing the quartermaster. "I will explore the island with Mike. I have the fireworks with me, and you will keep a sharp lookout in the direction of the fort.
Word Of The Day