United States or Dominican Republic ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The beach comber, in agony of straining spine and throat, thrashed wildly to free himself. He strove to batter the tenacious little man to senselessness. But he could hit nothing but the sloping back, or aim clumsily cramped hooks for the top and sides of Gavin's protected head. Meantime, the pressure was increasing, with a coldly scientific precision. Human nature could not endure it.
The fact that he was Michael Comber vexed his father there was no statement of the case so succinctly true. Lord Ashbridge moved away towards the window, turning his back on Michael.
Then, safe inside his opponent's guard, he abandoned his effort to stave off the giant's hold, and passed his own arms about the other's waist, his hands meeting under the small of the larger man's back. The beach comber tried now to use his freed arms to gain the grip that had once been so effective. But his clasp could close only over the slope of Brice's back and could find no purchase.
There was a businesslike directness in the way he kept onward and outward until a comber lifted him and his swimming had begun. The young man might have been between twenty and twenty-five and a Greek feeling for line and form and rhythmic strength would have called his body beautiful.
Anyway, one of us was busy heaving out the water that broke into her. It was Jake, I think, and he seemed kind of silly. Once we saw a boat hove up on a sea, but we lost her in the spray, and a long while after we saw the schooner. Just then a comber that broke on board 'most hove us over, and when we had dodged the next two there wasn't a sign of the schooner.
Slim was completely exhausted; but before another comber rolled in those who were strong managed to drag the weaker ones out of the reach of the undertow. There was only a fitful light on sea and shore. The castaways lay in a panting group, looking at each other dripping with brine, and very miserable. "Begorra!" exclaimed Irish Jemmy at last, "I broke me poipe.
Then he worked his way slowly along to the bridge. Twice a comber broke on the quarter and dropped a ton of water, which sloshed about the deck, drenching his feet. He climbed the ladder, rather amused at the recurrence of an old thought that climbing ship ladders in dirty weather was a good deal like climbing in nightmares: one weighed thousands of pounds and had feet of lead.
The end of your long boom is liable to trip as you roll and wallow through the waves, and every time you rise on the crest of a big comber your rudder comes out of water, and your bow swings around until there is imminent danger of an accidental jibe.
He made a movement, grasping the arm of his chair, as if to wheel it closer, but he came actually no nearer her. "Why don't you go away, nurse?" said Lady Ashbridge, "and leave my son and me to talk about our nice day in the country?" Nurse Baker answered quite naturally. "I want to talk, too, my lady," she said. "I went with you and Lord Comber. We all enjoyed it together."
Word Of The Day