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It had been ‘spitting’ with rain for the last half-hour, and now began to pour in good earnest. The wind was freshening very fast, and the waterman at the wheel had unequivocally expressed his opinion that there would shortly be a squall.
So we bore down on her until there came a flash; a cannon ball came ricochetting across the water, but fell short by a hundred yards. The waterman chuckled. "That is about the right distance," said he; and the boat answering the helm, fairly danced around his Majesty's representative, always, by a saving grace, just beyond cannon shot.
"'Yes, we must, to avoid the sentinels, I answered. "'Well, said Captain Whipple, 'Give it up, It is only throwing your lives away, for there is not a man on earth who can swim from this ship to that point as cold as the water is now. Why, how far do you think it is? "'Why, I answered, 'Waterman and myself have estimated the distance at a mile and a half.
"Him an' me's like brothers." "Get up, you old loonatic!" snarled the waterman, extricating himself with difficulty, and forcing the other towards the side. "Now, up you go!" Aided by the shoulders of the waterman and the hands of his superior officers, Sam went up, and then the waterman turned his attention to the remainder of his fares, who were snoring contentedly in the bottom of the boat.
"I've got it!" bellowed the Mixer, and we went out to her in the chill night. She sat up with the blankets muffled about her. "We start Bill in that restaurant," she began. "It come to me in a flash. I judge he's got the right ideas, and Waterman and his wife can cook for him." "Bully!" exclaimed Cousin Egbert.
"What!" said my father smiling, "does not your heart inform you? It is your former flame, it is Madame Christin, or, if you please, Miss Vulson." I started at the almost forgotten name, and instantly ordered the waterman to turn off, not judging it worth while to be perjured, however favorable the opportunity for revenge, in renewing a dispute of twenty years past, with a woman of forty.
"Come, master," said I, "I will give you half a guinea, and that is as much as you will get for the animal." The waterman still held out. "Come, you shall have a guinea," said I, getting the money out of my pocket. "And we will give five shillings apiece," said one of the young gentlemen. "Come, that must settle the matter," said the other, giving the sheep a lift out of the boat.
"If you leaves a comfortable 'ome, sir," moralized the barge-master, "to go a-looking for adventures in this fashion, you must put up with rough quarters, and wot you can get." "We'll go anywhere you think right, Mr. Rowe," said I diplomatically. "I knows a waterman," said Mr. Rowe, "that was in the Royal Navy like myself. He lives near here, and they're decent folk.
Joey threw open the window for he was almost suffocated undressed himself, put out the light, and, when he had said his prayers, his thoughts naturally reverted to the little Emma who had knelt with him on the road-side. At five o'clock the next morning Joey was called up by Mrs Chopper; the waterman was in attendance, and, with the aid of Joey, carried down the various articles into the boat.
She had expected something different. "Kemp?" "Yes." "Why?" "He didn't give any reason. Just said he was going and went. He said he had intended to go before, and had only stayed until Mrs. Waterman was better. Offered to stay on a little longer if it would embarrass me any to have him leave. I told him that if he wanted to go, he could get out now. And he is packing his bags."
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