United States or Equatorial Guinea ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
As he had several people on board the small schooner, he was anxious to continue the voyage to Sydney to which port he was bound without delay. He therefore took off his children, with the doctor, Nub, and Dan; while the mate remained to ship the provisions they had in store, which the captain said would be very welcome, as well as a small quantity of sandal-wood.
"Dere! dere, Missie Alice, he see us!" exclaimed Nub, looking down at the little girl as he spoke. At that moment the sheets were let go, and Walter was seen eagerly looking out to discover whence the voices came. The raft now came gliding up towards them, Walter having gone back to the helm to steer it.
"They're a flight of devouring locusts, and they're going for everything green in this God blest land, if you want to know." Here he pushed his reserve into the breach and when his gabble-gear was again disengaged resumed his uplifting discourse. "I had one of them on this ranch five years ago, and I'll tell you about it, so that you can see the nub of this whole question.
Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gasping and shriekings and suffocatings. It takes only a minute and a half to tell that in its comic-story form; and isn't worth the telling, after all.
Nub also suggested that they should forthwith set to work to build a house large enough to contain the whole party. A house would be far better for Alice than the tent, in which she had to lie close to the ground, with some risk of the intrusion of snakes or noxious insects; besides which, bad weather might come on, when they would all require shelter. "Nothing like bamboo-house," observed Nub.
Williams pardoned out of prison. That 'nub' is so ingeniously, so casually, flung in, and immediately left there in the tail of the letter, undwelt upon, that an indifferent reader would never suspect that it was the heart and core of the epistle, if he even took note of it at all, This is the 'nub'
Nub at once volunteered his services. "I hope by that time to have one of the bows finished," said Walter, "and I will go and shoot game, while Mr Shobbrok, Dan, and Alice continue working away at the house."
Nub was the first to spring on board, and then having made fast the chest, he lifted Alice safely on to the raft, where she was received in Walter's arms. The almost exhausted mate was then dragged on board by Nub.
"No, thank you, lad; Nub and I have had sleep enough, and we wish that you and Miss Alice should have as much rest as possible," answered Mr Shobbrok. Alice, on hearing her name, started up, and inquired if anything had happened. But before the mate could reply, Nub shouted out, "Land! land! land right ahead!"
Alice turned her head aside when Nub put one of the fowls out of its misery, and eagerly drank up the blood to quench the burning thirst from which he was suffering. He did not offer her any, as he knew that while any wine and water remained she would not touch it. He felt in better spirits, and much stronger, after this meal.
Word Of The Day