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The shrouds and ratlines which went with it had barred the black heavens with ruddy lines. From all the openings dull red clouds rolled and bellied skyward, cloud upon cloud; the funnel spouted like a blast furnace. But the vessel slowly, but very surely, was falling off the wind; it would soon blow astern.
"He ought to have given that order when the to'gallants were taken in!" "Better late than never, say I," said Mr Jellaby, laughing, as the topmen raced up the ratlines and the weather braces were rounded-in, preparatory to reefing. "Really, Stormcock, you're the most inveterate growler I have come across in the service since first I went to sea, by Jove!"
As Sir Felix's gig was descried putting off from the shore, the boys swarmed up the ratlines and out on the yards, where they dressed ship very prettily. A brass band in the waist hailed his approach with the strains of "Rule, Britannia!"
"Him velly sick," hazarded the Chinaman from the ratlines, adding a sentence in Chinese to Charlie. "He says he tink-um ship sick, all same; ask um something ship velly sick." By this time the Captain, Wilbur, and all on board could plainly make out a sail some eight miles off the starboard bow.
When within a hundred yards of the brig the troops opened a heavy musketry fire, many of the men making their way up the ratlines and so commanding the brig's deck.
We accordingly shinned up the ratlines together, and were soon comfortably settled on the fore-topsail-yard. We remained there until the brief twilight had so far faded that it was impossible to make out more than the general outline of the ships, and then we descended and made our report. The said report amounted to this.
The mate had clambered halfway up the main ratlines, and was looking earnestly to windward. Two or three of the crew on the forecastle were gazing in the same direction. The group of cabin-passengers on the quarterdeck, following their eyes, saw what appeared to be another low shore on the opposite bow. "Why, there's another coast there!" said Mrs. Markham.
Beneath the royal yard, Stubbins halted, and looked down to me. "Hurry hup ... with ther ... lantern ... Jessop!" he shouted, catching his breath between the words. "There'll be ... murder done ... hin a minute!" I reached him, and held the light up for him to catch. He stooped, and took it from me. Then, holding it above his head, he went a few ratlines higher.
Stopping short in what I was saying, I sprang to the rail, and from thence into the main rigging, half a dozen ratlines of which I ascended in order to gain a horizon clear of the run of the nearer seas.
"I tell you, Ridgeway, this thing " But my eyes were in another quarter, and I slapped him on the shoulder. "An engineer an engineer to the core," I cried at him. "Look aloft, man." Our quarry was almost to the cross-trees, clambering the shrouds with a smartness no sailor has ever come to, her yellow body, cut by the moving shadows of the ratlines, a queer sight against the mat of the night.
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