United States or Svalbard and Jan Mayen ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Further, if you study the country behind us, you will see that, while we came unobserved and stand at this moment in excellent cover, by crossing the beach we expose ourselves to observation and the risk of a bullet." "I take it, sir," answered Captain Branscome, still puzzled, "you knew this boat to be here, and have brought us with some purpose."
Indeed, there is no knowing how long it might have lasted for Captain Branscome made no sign of turning again and facing me but, happening just then to glance along the terrace, I caught sight of Mrs. Stimcoe returning with long, masculine strides. She held an open letter in her hand, and was perusing it as she came.
Branscome replied, beaten by his persistency. "Come at seven; we dine at eight, so I can give you half-an-hour. But you are ungenerous." That night began what may be termed the crisis of Hilton's education. This was the second time he had caught Mrs. Branscome unawares.
If this incredible thing were true if Captain Branscome were the criminal the puzzle ceased to be a puzzle; the guinea and the broken cashbox were only too fatally accounted for. Nevertheless, and in spite of the guinea, in spite even of the eyeglass there in my hand, I could not bring myself to believe. What? Captain Branscome, the simple-minded, the heroic?
"To be sure," pursued Captain Branscome, "with such a company as he found on board, he can scarcely have suspected a treasure hunt. Still, when he does suspect it as sooner or later he must he will know our weakness." "He could scarcely have dealt with us more frankly than he did, at any rate," said Miss Belcher, with an air of simplicity; "for he assured us he was alone on the island."
Here he whipped the parcel back into his pocket, picked up his compasses, and made transparent pretence to be occupied in measuring distances as Captain Branscome came down the stairs from the garret. Captain Branscome gave no sign of observing his confusion, but signalled to me to step outside with him into the alley, where he pressed an envelope into my hand.
And will you tell me that here is accident only, and not the finger of Providence itself? At first, indeed, we suspected Captain Branscome and Mr. Goodfellow: they were strangers to us, and, as if that we might be tested, they came to us under suspicion." Here Mr. Goodfellow put up a hand and dubiously felt his nose, which was yet swollen somewhat from his first encounter with Mr. Rogers.
I sprang forward to take in the jib and carry it, with the foresail, to the locker abaft the ladies' cabin, when Captain Branscome sang out to me to be in no such hurry, but to fold and stow both sails neatly without detaching them the one along the bowsprit, the other at the foot of the fore-stay, when they could be re-hoisted at a moment's notice.
"Well, ma'am," resumed Captain Branscome, "so strong was the likeness to old Coffin, and yet so incredible was it he should be in these parts, that, almost without stopping to consider, I turned down the lane on the chance of another glimpse of the man.
You may take him back my compliments, Harry my compliments and remembrances and say that if Heaven permitted us to meet again in this world, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to crack a bottle with him." I duly reported this to Captain Branscome, and was taken aback by his reception of it. He began in a sudden flurry to ask a dozen questions concerning my father.
Word Of The Day