United States or Malaysia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
As they returned to the ship's side, Blood's eyes anxiously scanned the line of seamen leaning over the bulwarks in idle talk with the Spaniards in the cock-boat that waited at the ladder's foot. But their manner showed him that there was no ground for his anxiety. The boat's crew had been wisely reticent. The Admiral took leave of them of Esteban affectionately, of Blood ceremoniously.
"All I said was, 'Just a minute and I'll be back." "Yes, that's all you said to Worth." She glanced at the boy serenely as he waited for her at the ladder's foot. "He's not a trained observer; he doesn't deduce even from what he does observe." There were twinkling lights in her black eyes.
If there's anything I despise it is for a man to whoop and holler and make a public spectacle of himself. Who's this? Oh, the Radnors. They're out of it. Look at them. Pulling every which way. That ladder's too straight up and down. Twenty-seven and two-fifths. What did I tell you?... What time does your train go? Well, why don't you and your wife come take supper with us?
There at the ladder's foot sat the elvish toad, and it seemed to me that it looked pitifully up at the light. How many years might it have been without sunlight or touch of dew or cool green leaves that it had loved? And I was fain to climb down and take it up in my hand and set it free on the grass outside the house, where a dock spread its broad leaves.
Under this beam, on a ladder, was a carpenter fellow at work, fortifying it with two supporting timbers that rested on the sill of the doorway. He was merry enough over the job, and paused every now and again to fling a remark to a little group of soldiers that stood idling below, where the fellow's workbag and a great coil of rope rested by the ladder's foot.
I'm telling them they'd better give up and go ashore, if they know when they're well off." The three fellows by the ladder's foot were consulting together. On the wharf were half a dozen loungers, collected by the prospect of a row. "If I can hold them off for a few minutes," went on Pearson, "we'll be all right. The wharf watchman has gone for the police. Here! drop it! What are you up to?"
The Boy stopped and hesitated; it was a sore temptation to climb up and see what they had in that cache. There was an inviting plank all ready, with sticks nailed on it transversely to prevent the feet from slipping. But the Boy stopped at the rude ladder's foot, deciding that this particular mark of interest on the part of a stranger might be misinterpreted.
But do you play the fool, too, dearie, and" she chuckled here "and have your posture and your fine long words, whatever happens." "'Tis my vocation," I answered, briefly; and so went forth into the night. At the Ladder's Foot I came to Tiverton Manor through a darkness black as the lining of Baalzebub's oldest cloak.
"They've getten it fixed against the gin-shop wall. One o' the men i' the factory has fell back; dazed wi' the smoke, I'll warrant. The floor's not given way there. God!" said he, bringing his eye lower down, "the ladder's too short! It's a' over wi' them, poor chaps. Th' fire's coming slow and sure to that end, and afore they've either getten water, or another ladder, they'll be dead out and out.
"Who the dickens is going to jump?" replied Hawkins, angrily, leaning over the side. "Fools!" he observed to me. "The hook and ladder's coming!" continued a stentorian voice. "Well, they'll have their trouble for their pains," snapped Hawkins. "We shall be on the ground before they get here." "Why not wait?" I said.
Word Of The Day