United States or Chad ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Lovey Mary barricaded Tommy in a corner with his playthings and met the delinquent at the door. Her eyes blazed and her cheeks were aflame. This modern David had no stones and sling to slay her Goliath; she had only a vocabulary full of stinging words which she hurled forth with indignation and scorn. Mr. Stubbins had evidently been abused before, for he paid no attention to the girl's wrath.
If I had my way, Stubbins, there wouldn't be a single lion or tiger in captivity anywhere in the world. They never take to it. They're never happy. They never settle down. They are always thinking of the big countries they have left behind.
By its light we could see, plainly; but there was no vestige of Stubbins, so far as the light went. "Get out on to the yard-arms with those flares, you two men," shouted the Skipper. "Be smart now! Keep them away from the sail!" The men got on to the foot-ropes Quoin on the port, and Jaskett on the starboard side.
The only thing to be done was to wait and watch. If we could only get hold of something tangible, then we might hope to tell all that we knew, without being made into laughing-stocks. I came out from my think, abruptly. Stubbins was speaking again. He was arguing the matter with one of the other men. "You see, with there bein' no wind, scarcely, ther thing's himpossible, an' yet "
The skipper, muttering a furious oath, without another word retired to his cabin, and presently re-appeared with a pistol in his hand, and another sticking out of his pocket. Tom fixed his eye calmly upon him. "We do not fear your threats, Captain Stubbins," he said. "If you were to kill one of us, you would be guilty of murder, and would be hung to a certainty.
Last night my mother was saying that she didn't consider it right for me to come here so often for meals. And I've been thinking about it a good deal since. Couldn't we make some arrangement couldn't I work for my meals and sleep here?" "But my dear Stubbins," said the Doctor, laughing, "you are quite welcome to come here for three meals a day all the year round. I'm only too glad to have you.
There was no reply, only the continual gasping and cursing. "Go on," the Second Mate said to us. "But be careful. Keep a tight hold!" He held the lantern higher and we went out cautiously. Stubbins reached the Ordinary, and put his hand on his shoulder, with a soothing gesture. "Steady hon now, Jacobs," he said. "Steady hon."
The Doctor explained to us that volcanoes sometimes spurted up fire from these holes in their tops; but that those on floating islands were always cold and dead. "Stubbins," he said, looking up at the great stone towering above us, "do you know what would most likely happen if that boulder should fall in?" "No," said I, "what?"
JUST before supper-time Bumpo appeared from downstairs and went to the Doctor at the wheel. "A stowaway in the hold, Sir," said he in a very business-like seafaring voice. "I just discovered him, behind the flour-bags." "Dear me!" said the Doctor. "What a nuisance! Stubbins, go down with Bumpo and bring the man up. I can't leave the wheel just now."
Tom observed that they were already much further to the eastward than was necessary, but Captain Stubbins, though he was evidently no great navigator, declared that he knew his way as well as any naval officer, and refused to lend Tom his quadrant to make an observation. Billy looked very melancholy, and declared that should the voyage continue much longer he should give up the ghost.
Word Of The Day