United States or France ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Von Brüning had greeted Davies with cordial surprise, and said he had wondered yesterday if it was the Dulcibella that he had seen anchored behind Langeoog. Davies had explained that we had left the Baltic and were on our way home; taking the shelter of the islands. 'Supposing he comes on board and asks to see our log? I said. 'Pull it out, said Davies, 'It's rot, this hiding, after all. I say.
He loyally did his best to 'shove her' along, but puffs and calms were the rule all day, and it was only by towing in the dinghy for two hours in the afternoon that we covered the length of Langeoog, and crept before dark to an anchorage behind Baltrum, its slug-shaped neighbour on the west.
The cable was soon following it, and finally the rusty monster himself, more loathsome than usual, after his long sojourn in the slime. 'That's all right, said Davies. 'Now we can go anywhere. 'Well, it's Norderney, isn't it? We've settled that. 'Yes, I suppose we have. I was wondering whether it wouldn't be shortest to go inside the Langeoog after all. 'Surely not, I urged.
'And the connexion to Wittmund? 'Under construction still. 'Langeoog would be going ahead then? 'Oh! he supposed so, but he did not believe in these new-fangled schemes. 'But it was good for trade, I supposed?
'Mercy! thought I, 'are they going to swim to Langeoog? but I also gasped for relief. The tug rolled lifelessly in the swell for a little, and footsteps retreated aft. There were cries of 'Achtung! and some laughter, one big bump and a good deal of grinding; and on we moved again, taking the strain of the tow-rope gingerly, and then full-speed ahead.
A few speculators got them up and made money themselves out of land and contracts, while the shareholders they had hoodwinked starved. 'There's something in that, I conceded to this bigoted old conservative; 'my sister at Langeoog rents her lodging-house from a man named Dollmann; they say he owns a heap of land about. I saw his yacht once pink velvet and electric light inside. they say
When next I was able to raise my head they were round Grimm at the wheel, engaged, as far as I could discover from their gestures, in an argument about our course and the time, for Grimm looked at his watch by the light of a hand-lantern. We were heading north, and I knew by the swell that we must be near the Accumer Ee, the gap between Langeoog and Baltrum. Were we going out to open sea?
19 The Rubicon IT was a cold, vaporous dawn, the glass rising, and the wind fallen to a light air still from the north-east. Our creased and sodden sails scarcely answered to it as we crept across the oily swell to Langeoog. 'Fogs and calms, Davies prophesied. The Blitz was astir when we passed her, and soon after steamed out to sea.
The barge I had seen locking through was creeping across towards Langeoog behind a tug and a wisp of smoke. No more exploration by daylight! That was my first resolve, for I felt as if the country must be ringing with reports of an Englishman in disguise. I must remain in hiding till dusk, then regain the railway and slink into that train to Norden.
Word Of The Day